Let’s see if I can come up with a post every day of the rest of the offseason. Today, there are 50 days left until Opening Day on April 6.
Too fast for cameras.
50
is the round in which outfielder Jarrod Dyson was drafted in 2006. Back in November there was a good discussion at Royals Review about Dyson’s future as a Major Leaguer. Based on the poll there, fans feel that Dyson will accumulate at least as many MLB plate appearances in the future as he has until this point. But will it be with the Royals?
Though I like Dyson, I agree completely with Jeff Zimmerman’s conclusion a few weeks ago:
For the Royals in 2012, Dyson is not the answer. He just doesn’t get on base enough, mainly because of his 25% K%, to utilize his speed. While he may be the best CF defender, the speed is not enough to make for his inability to hit.
Dyson’s one ace-in-the-hole for the season is his speed though. He could be used as a pinch running specialist. The Royals like to have a deep bullpen. With the current starting pitching staff, they are probably going to need it. If Lough or Maier is the 4th OF, it would leave only 2 spots on the bench for an utility infielderr and a catcher. Having Dyson on the bench for pinch running is a luxury the Royals can’t afford. Dyson is just not the answer.
A guy whose main asset is speed is lovely to have IF you can afford a smaller bullpen and IF you are so close to contention that a few late-inning runs by your Speed Guy will be the difference between October baseball and going home. The Royals might meet one of those ifs in 2012, but probably not.
Dyson would be a good fit on a team with an older manager who likes to make all kinds of late-inning substitutions. Don’t you think someone like Charlie Manuel would love to have speed like Dyson in the 8th or 9th inning?
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