Joseph Melton Oliver (born July 24,1965) is an American former professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher from 1989 to 2001,most prominently for the Cincinnati Reds,where he played in parts of eight seasons and was an integral member of the 1990 World Series winning team. During a 19-year professional playing career,Oliver played parts of 13 seasons in MLB for seven different teams. He later managed in Minor League Baseball for the Boston Red Sox organization from 2014 through 2020,and in collegiate summer baseball in 2021 and 2022. As a player,Oliver was listed at 6feet 3inches (1.91m) and 215 pounds (98kg);he batted and threw right-handed.
Oliver as a member of the Cincinnati Reds tags out Craig Biggio of the Houston Astros during a game at Riverfront Stadium on October 3,1990
Drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the second round of the 1983 MLB amateur draft,Oliver would make his Major League Baseball debut with Cincinnati on July 15,1989,and appear in his final game on October 6,2001. A relative rarity,in both his first and last at bats in those games,he got hits. He threw and batted right-handed,stood 6feet 3inches (191cm) tall and weighed 215 pounds (98kg;15.4st). Oliver was a member of the Reds team that defeated the Oakland Athletics in the 1990 World Series. He drove in Billy Bates from second base in Game 2 of that series with a hit off Dennis Eckersley to win the game and propel the Reds to the title.
In two seasons at Lowell (2014–2015),Oliver led the Spinners to a 74–77 (.490) record;he was promoted to manager of the Class A-AdvancedSalem Red Sox of the Carolina League for 2016 during the off-season.[7] During his first season in Salem,his club posted the Carolina League's best record (87–52,.626),but the team fell in the opening round of the playoffs to the eventual league champions,the Myrtle Beach Pelicans,two games to one. Oliver remained with Salem through the 2018 season.[8] Oliver's overall managerial record for the 2014–2018 period was 297–270 (.524).
Oliver was promoted to manager of the Portland Sea Dogs of the Double-AEastern League for 2019;[9] the team played to a 62–77 record. He was named to return as manager for 2020,[10] but the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2021,following MLB's realignment of the minor leagues,which resulted in a reduced number of teams,Oliver was not included in Boston's minor league managerial assignments.[11]
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