The signing of free-agent outfielder Carlos González will mean only so much. The Indians had a chance to again bury the Twins and the rest of the AL Central, and they spent the offseason offering new life to the competition instead.



The White Sox, Royals and Tigers, all at various stages of rebuilds, are not in position to take advantage of the Indians’ passivity. The Twins, based on two leading projection systems, also might not be capable of altering the seemingly unalterable Central.



PECOTA sees the Indians finishing 94-68, tied with the Astros for the best record in the American League, 11 games ahead of the Twins. Fangraphs’ Depth Charts predicts the Indians will finish 92-70, the fourth-best record in the AL, and 10 games ahead of the Twins.



Why even question the Indians then?



Only because each season is sacred, and the Indians’ 70-year World Series championship drought is the longest in the majors, and the clock is...