The Royals haven't been relevant in August since 2003, when they were actually in first place. I don't remember August, though. Or much of September, when they pitched into a mild slump and wound up in third place. For me, the definining moment of that season came on the Saturday night before the All-Star Game, when Jose Lima struck out Laynce Nix to finish his seventh scoreless inning and bounced off the mound. If you want an image of Lima Time, that's where you start.
The Royals beat the Rangers that night, pushing their lead over the second-place Twins to 6½ games. They actually won again on Sunday, and entered the All-Star break with a seven-game lead over the White Sox, 7½ over the Twins.
Which was as good as it got. But we'll always have Lima Time.
And now, no matter what else happens, we'll always have this:
Dyson's first-place flip might be remembered as the apogee of the Royals' season, or it might be remembered as the first of many spectacular moments in a miraculous season. But either way, it will be remembered.
