They noticed the difference in the opening weeks of camp. The daily staccato rhythm of trash talk was gone. So was the booming baritone and hell-raising laughter.
The departure of outfielder Jarrod Dyson in an offseason trade to the Seattle Mariners left a hole on the Royals’ roster. But it also left a void inside the clubhouse: These days, the place is a lot calmer.
“It’s definitely going to be a quiet clubhouse this year,” Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain said. “Quiet plane. Quiet bus rides. But I’m going to miss it, though. Because I’m used to him yelling at everybody or getting on the rookies about something.