Darren Oliver had a few downs to the 2011 season, but most of his 18th season in baseball was on the positive end, despite the fact he was on the wrong side of the proverbial hill.
And despite the fact that, if the Rangers make the postseason again in 2012, Oliver will turn 42 years old while he's still playing, the trusted lefty should be brought back next season.
Oliver went 5-5 last season with a 2.29 ERA with 44 strikeouts and 11 walks. The good thing about Oliver is that he doesn't just get lefties out, though that is his specialty. He can be trusted against lefties and righties.
Rangers fans' last memory of Oliver from 2011 will undoubtedly be his awful 10th inning in Game 6, which has sparked the controversy of whether Neftali Feliz should've been brought back out.
Oliver was terrible that night, but don't forget the good he gave the Rangers this past year.
Now he's free and his agent as said he wants to be somewhere he can win a ring, and where could be better than the team that has won two straight pennants and came within a strike, twice, of winning the World Series a few weeks ago.
Last season, Oliver made $3.25 million and could probably be brought back for a little less than that because of his escalating age, if nothing else.
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Look for the Rangers to make a push to try to bring him back.
