Jon Matlack debuted for the New York Mets two years after their “Miracle Season” of 1969, but the southpaw found a home as part of a powerful Mets rotation of the 1970s.

We are going to need a history lesson to start this one.

Will White was a member of the original Cincinnati Reds in the National League and played there for three seasons before the team was expelled from the NL after its owner refused to stop selling beer.  White would sign with the Detroit Wolverines for a year but returned to Cincinnati when they got a team in the American Association in 1881 (Cincinnati Red Stockings).  That team evolved into the Reds, and the original Reds are not part of the canon that is recognized by Major League Baseball, which is pretty interesting; well, we think so!

Got it?

Let’s move on!

As one of the first bespectacled players of note, White would promptly lead the AA in Wins in his first two seasons as a Red Stocking, which was also complemented by an ERA Title.  White’s arm gave out in 1886, but he left with a nice record of 229-166, and as of this writing, he is in the top twenty all-time in ERA (2.28) and BB/9 (1.260).

There was a lot of hype for years around Dominican Pitcher Jose Rijo, so much so that the New York Yankees (likely due to the owner, George Steinbrenner) rushed him into the majors at age 18.  Rijo did not do well as a rookie, but what 18-year-old in the Majors does?

Should Darrell Porter be on this list?  We think so, but a look at his overall statistics might make you feel otherwise.