Everyone expected the Indians to pitch well this year, but it was fair to worry if they'd have the offense to back it up. This was a unit that was below average by Weighted Runs Created Plus in 2015, then added to its lineup only Rajai Davis, Mike Napoli, and Juan Uribe -- a trio of 34- to 36-year-olds who were coming off just average offensive seasons themselves -- in what was then seen as an underwhelming offseason.
And then it got worse: Michael Brantley's shoulder issues wound up being more serious than expected, and Cleveland's best hitter over the previous two seasons managed just 43 plate appearances before succumbing to another shoulder surgery that ended his season once and for all.