With the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, the third-place finisher in the race for the AL MVP Award, four former All-Stars and an AL Silver Slugger Award-winning catcher in the clubhouse, there was no reason to think those lofty goals weren't attainable.
Until the games began.
Five games in, that catcher, Yan Gomes, strained his right MCL on a play at the plate, sidelining him for the next six weeks. Coincidentally, that game was the first to drop the Indians below .500, where they've remained ever since.
At 60-66, the Indians are being given an 8-percent chance to make the playoffs by Baseball Prospectus, and 4-percent odds from FanGraphs.