The top ten Jarrod Dyson moments in Kansas City

Jarrod Dyson is no longer with the Royals, but of course, he will be FOREVER ROYAL. He has come a long way from being selected in the 50th round (a round that no longer exists) to an integral member of two pennant-winning clubs and a championship-winning team. Let’s look back at the top ten moments of Jarrod Dyson’s career in Kansas City.

10. Dyson’s catch in the 2014 World Series

Game 4 of the 2014 World Series was pivotal, and the Royals were actually leading halfway through the game when Juan Perez laced a low liner to center. Jarrod Dyson ran in and made a terrific catch, and while Hunter Pence scored on the play, it kept the game tied before the Giants went on a run later in the game.

9. Dyson guns down Colin Cowgill in the 2014 ALDS

Jarrod Dyson was known for his speed in tracking down flyballs, but Dyson had an accurate arm and threw out 19 baserunners from the outfield over the last two seasons, better than all but 14 outfielders in baseball over that time. He showed off that arm in Game 2 of the 2014 ALDS against the Angels, gunning down Colin Cowgill at third base.

8. Dyson gets the Orioles all upset with his comments

The Royals were a runaway freight train in 2014, storming into the Wild Card game, and winning their six post-season games, taking a 2-0 lead on the Orioles in the ALCS with the series headed to Kansas City. Dyson was asked if he thought the series would return to Baltimore for a Game 6 or 7 and he answered honestly, “no, sir, I don't and I don't think [the Orioles] think that, either."

The comments upset many Orioles, and that coupled with a t-shirt worn by Jeremy Guthrie caused some bad blood between the two teams, but the truth was that Dyson was right. The Royals finished their business with a sweep in Kansas City. Dyson could run his mouth a lot, but more often than not, he backed it up.

7. Dyson robs Christian Yelich of a home run in Miami

Jarrod Dyson has been one of the best defensive outfielders in baseball the last few seasons, and he gave us the best example of that in Miami this year, when Edinson Volquez gave up a rocket to dead center against Christian Yelich. Dyson didn’t even break stride as he leapt to rob Yelich of a sure home run.

6. Dyson replaces an injured Alex Gordon and hits an inside-the-park home run

The 2015 injury to Alex Gordon when he pulled a groin muscle seemed devastating at the time, but there to pick up the Royals immediately was Jarrod Dyson. He replaced Gordon in the game, and embodying the spirit of Gordo, threw out Brandon Guyer at home plate trying to score. Two innings later, Dyson laced a low line drive to left that was misplayed by David DeJesus. Dyson took full advantage, circling the bases for an inside-the-park home run.

5. Dyson hits a grand slam against the Indians

The Royals were hanging onto contention for dear life in July. They trailed the first place Indians 2-0 in the eighth on July 18, the first game of an important series. Kansas City clawed back to tie the game on a Christian Colon double, then took the lead on a Paulo Orlando single. Dyson came up with the bases loaded in the inning, with the game still on the line. Looking simply to give the Royals an insurance run, Dyson put the game away with a grand slam, the first of his career.

4. Dyson makes an over-the-shoulder basket catch and doubles off a runner

This has to be one of the coolest catches I have ever seen. In an afternoon game against the Rays, Grady Sizemore drills a pitch to deep left. Dyson turns and sprints to the wall, then looks over his shoulder, his back completely to home plate at this point, and makes a basket catch. He then has the presence of mind to turn and whip the ball back to the infield where the catch the runner. Incredible.

3. Dyson steals third and scores to tie the game in the ninth on a wild pitch

In September of 2014, the Royals were full of #RoyalsDevilMagic. Their speed caused things to happen, and the straw that stirred the drink was Jarrod Dyson. The Royals trailed the White Sox 3-2 in the ninth inning on September 15, with Dyson at second base. Jarrod took off for third, but pitcher Jake Petricka bounced the pitch, and catcher Tyler Flowers was unable to handle it. Dyson rounded third and headed for home to tie the game. The Royals would win it on an infield single by Lorenzo Cain that scored speedster Terrance Gore from second base.

2. Dyson celebrates first place with a backflip.

The Royals were under .500 as late as July 22, but a hot streak got them within a hair of first place by August 11. The first place Athletics came to town for a big series, and after a tie 2-2 game for six innings, the Royals went on top in the seventh. Greg Holland secured the win that catapulted the Royals into first place by inducing a fly out to Jarrod Dyson to end the game, and Dyson punctuated the victory with a backflip to the delight of Royals fans.

1. Dyson steals third in the 2014 Wild Card game

The Royals knew they could run on the Athletics, and run they did. They stole seven bases in the game, but perhaps none as big as Dyson’s. In the bottom of the ninth, down 7-6, the Royals put in Dyson as a pinch-runner for Josh Willingham after a leadoff single. Alcides Escobar bunted him over to second, leaving everyone to wonder if Dyson would dare to steal third.

On the fourth pitch of the at-bat, Dyson got a terrific jump and successfully slid into third, just ninety feet away from tying the game. His “vroom vroom” dance to celebrate the feat only further pumped up Royals fans. Two pitches later, Nori Aoki would send Dyson home on a sacrifice fly to tie the game and send it to extra innings, and the rest was history.