When people think about Larry Bird, they think, 'Well he must have been an instant success, he must have been an instant star. He certainly was in the NCAA Tournament and played on national TV [right away].' All of those things are false. There is a very real reality in some alternative universe where Larry Bird doesn't become a basketball star at all.
Cleveland's pitching staff was the strong suit of the team, with a 3.70 ERA as a unit during the 88-win campaign. Gavin Williams emerged as the ace of the starting rotation last season, finishing with a 3.06 ERA.