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The meaning of “That’s what speed do.”

Dave Farquhar Baseball October 11, 2014August 25, 2016Billy Butler, Jarrod Dyson, Kansas City, Kansas City Star, Major League, Wild Card, Willie Mays

You’re probably hearing Royals fans say, “That’s what speed do” a lot. With games on the line, they tend to slap the ball, get on base however they can, and score however they can, and that’s what the line refers to.

The origin was a game on July 27, 2013. Jarrod Dyson led off the 12th inning with a ground ball to Gordon Beckham, who bobbled the ball. The scorekeeper credited Dyson with a controversial single.

“That’s a single,” Dyson insisted after the game. “That’s a tough play. That’s what speed do. If you can’t handle the ball, put it back in the glove.”

Dyson knows speed. He once tagged up and scored the game winning run on a popup to shortstop.

Dave Farquhar

David Farquhar is a computer security professional, entrepreneur, and author. He started his career as a part-time computer technician in 1994, worked his way up to system administrator by 1997, and has specialized in vulnerability management since 2013. He invests in real estate on the side and his hobbies include O gauge trains, baseball cards, and retro computers and video games. A University of Missouri graduate, he holds CISSP and Security+ certifications. He lives in St. Louis with his family.

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What it was like being a Royals fan from 1986-2013

Dave Farquhar Baseball October 1, 2014October 1, 2014Angel Berroa, Billy Butler, Bob Boone, Carlos Beltran, christmas, Cuban Nationals, EZ, James Shields, Japan, Jermaine Dye, Ned Yost, Neifi Perez, PE, Tony Muser, Wild Card

If there’s one thing I’ve heard this week, it’s that people can’t imagine what it’s like being a Royals fan through their 29-year drought without playing in a postseason. I can tell you what it’s like. We’ve had some highlights, but mostly we’ve put up with endless parades of really bad players and really bad managers.

Those of you who enjoy looking at gruesome things, keep reading. These are the players we’ve spent 2.9 decades trying to forget. But keep this in mind: My hair started going prematurely gray in 1986, the same year Dick Howser died and the Royals started fading.

Dave Farquhar

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Things I said at the Royals-Cardinals game last night

Dave Farquhar Baseball June 4, 2014June 3, 2014cardinals, James Shields, Major League, mizzou, National League, Ned Yost

So last night I went to the Royals-Cardinals game in St. Louis with one of my best friends. Being a Cardinals fan, he doesn’t follow the Royals much, so I filled him in a bit.

I told him I like when the Royals play National League teams and don’t have the DH rule, because their pitchers are some of their best hitters. To prove my point, James Shields, the Royals’ starting pitcher, went two for two with a single, a double, a run scored and a run batted in. Read more

Dave Farquhar

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Obstruction on the basepaths

Dave Farquhar Baseball October 27, 2013American League, cardinals, Major League, Major League Baseball

“Chances are you never heard of Major League Baseball’s Rule 7.06 before Saturday night,” wrote Boston Globe columnist Chad Finn after the Cardinals won World Series Game 3 on that rule.

It’s easy for me to say now, but when I saw Allen Craig trip over Will Middlebrooks trying to advance to the plate, the first thing I thought was, “He can’t do that!”

I couldn’t quote the rule number, but I took advantage of that rule a lot playing baseball in middle school.

Dave Farquhar

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A modest second-base proposal

Dave Farquhar Baseball September 1, 2013Billy Butler, Jarrod Dyson, Lorenzo Cain

So my Royals look to be playing meaningful baseball in September, for the first time in a decade. I’m excited. I’m disappointed they can’t find a second baseman who bits better than a pitcher, but I’m excited.

And with rosters expanding to 40 players, I have a proposal to fix that second-base issue.

Dave Farquhar

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I’m glad Ryne Sandberg is getting a chance

Dave Farquhar Baseball August 18, 20131980s, Bruce Sutter, Kansas City, kansas city royals, Major League

I grew up admiring Ryne Sandberg. He was a hard-hitting, smooth-fielding second baseman, and while his hitting statistics look a little wimpy compared to the steroids era, in the 1980s the sight of him in the on-deck circle struck fear in the hearts of opposing pitchers. He went on to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, and I’m glad to have had the chance to watch him play. I watched him a lot, because all the Cubs games were on WGN, which was available nationally.

Now Sandberg is the new manager of the Phillies. As a Kansas City Royals fan–bear with me–I have a special perspective on this.

Dave Farquhar

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Robinson Cano: “The fans don’t understand.”

Dave Farquhar Baseball June 12, 2013May 17, 2023

When Robinson Cano infamously left Billy Butler, the Kansas City Royals representative off the Home Run Derby team at the All-Star Game last summer in Kansas City, (who Butler is and who he plays for is important here), Royals fans booed him mercilessly.

And all he’s been saying since is that Kansas City doesn’t understand.

Fine. Let’s talk about what Kansas City does understand. Because Kansas City understands a lot.

Dave Farquhar

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The Card wasn’t real!

Dave Farquhar Baseball April 27, 2013April 26, 20131980s, 1990s, baseball cards, collectibles, estate sales, pittsburgh pirates, Ty Cobb

Somehow I missed this a couple of weeks ago, but the former owner of the most valuable baseball card ever, a 1909 tobacco card picturing Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame shortstop Honus Wagner, admitted to altering it sometime before he sold it. This card, sometimes called The Card, was owned by hockey great Wayne Gretzky for a time in the 1990s, so The Card is sometimes also called the Gretzky Wagner.

The story of the T206–T206 being the designation that the founder of baseball card collecting, Jefferson Burdick, assigned to that particular set–Wagner is shrouded in mystery anyway, and the Gretzky Wagner, even more so. The Gretzky Wagner was even the subject of a book published in 2008, appropriately titled The Card. Read more

Dave Farquhar

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The re-segregation of baseball

Dave Farquhar Baseball April 13, 2013April 15, 20171980s, andre dawson, Billy Butler, cardinals, chicago cubs, Daylight Savings Time, Jarrod Dyson, Kansas City, Kansas City Star, willie wilson

The Kansas City Star had a piece today about the sharp decline in the number of African-Americans playing baseball. Of course, when I grew up, the Royals relied heavily on African-Americans. George Brett was the star, but without Willie Wilson and Frank White hitting ahead of him and Hal McRae and Willie Aikens or John Mayberry hitting behind him, opposing pitchers would have never thrown Brett a hittable pitch.

Today, the Royals’ starting position players, their five starting pitchers and all of their key relief pitchers are all either white or Hispanic. The only African-American on their roster right now is speedy outfielder Jarrod Dyson.

I think I know why.

Dave Farquhar

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