I think your comparison with the '82 team is off a bit. For one, the pitching staff wasn't as bad as you described. It featured '82 Cy Young winner Pete Vuckovich. And it included a great closer in Rollie Fingers who was Cy Young/MVP in '81. HOFer Don Sutton was added midseason in '82 and performed well. Also, Mike Caldwell had a great season. Caldwell also finished 2nd in Cy Young voting in '78 (to the 25-3 Ron Guidry). The middle relief was the weakest link, but the pitching was overall better than given credit. I think the pitching staff was dismissed because the offense was so great--far and away superior to any Crew team that's come after.
I think your comparison with the '82 team is off a bit. For one, the pitching staff wasn't as bad as you described. It featured '82 Cy Young winner Pete Vuckovich. And it included a great closer in Rollie Fingers who was Cy Young/MVP in '81. HOFer Don Sutton was added midseason in '82 and performed well. Also, Mike Caldwell had a great season. Caldwell also finished 2nd in Cy Young voting in '78 (to the 25-3 Ron Guidry). The middle relief was the weakest link, but the pitching was overall better than given credit. I think the pitching staff was dismissed because the offense was so great--far and away superior to any Crew team that's come after.