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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.

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.

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.

Let Eric Hosmer hit second

Dave Farquhar Baseball April 14, 2012Billy Butler, cleveland indians, Jarrod Dyson, Kansas City, kansas city royals, Lorenzo Cain, Ned Yost, Oakland Athletics, walter johnson

Yesterday, the Cleveland Indians humiliated the Kansas City Royals 8-3 in what really looked like a showdown between two bad teams. Neither team played especially well, but the Indians were less bad. And in any given game, less bad is all it takes to win.

The Royals fielded poorly in the first inning and that made the difference, but the makeshift lineup the Royals fielded made it difficult for them to catch up. And catching up wasn’t out of the question. The Indians didn’t have Cy Young or Walter Johnson out there; it was the aging Derek Lowe. Read more