After Dyson's comments, are O's fans rooting against Kansas City?

Kansas City outfielder Jarrod Dyson said he believes the Royals will beat San Francisco in the World Series. He believes the Giants feel that way, too.

Well, he didn't actually say that, but would anyone be surprised if he had?

Has a player ever played less and talked more?

Dyson is the mouth that roared, but he's no modern-day Joe Namath. You have to actually be a key player for that.

If you've been in a cave, Dyson made some comments that irked Orioles fans and players after Game 2 of the American League Championship Series. He was asked whether he felt the series would return to Baltimore with the Royals leading two games to none.

"No sir, I don't," he said. "And I don't think they think that, either."

As it turned out, Dyson's boast proved true. The Royals swept the Orioles, even though he had almost nothing to do with it - unless you count going 0-for-4 and getting caught stealing twice a significant contribution.

Now this question, and I feel certain I know how most will respond: Did Dyson's comments turn off O's fans to rooting for the Royals in the World Series?

After motormouth Dyson did his talking, Jeremy Guthrie wore that T-shirt that set fans off after Game 3. He showed terrible judgement there, but at least he fell all over himself apologizing as he eventually realized the impact of his actions.

The Royals are a great story. Remember how special it was when the Orioles returned to the postseason in 2012 for the first time since 1997?

The Royals went 29 years between playoff appearances. They won 89 regular-season games - six teams won more - but are now 8-0 in the postseason. No club has ever won its first eight postseason games.

It's funny, the Royals were not this good late in the year. In their third-last series of the season, they played first-place Detroit, trailing the American League Central leaders by a half-game. They promptly lost the series opener 10-1 and then lost the next game.

On the next-to-last day of the season, after the Tigers had lost, K.C. could have tied for the division lead. But they lost to the White Sox.

Now they don't lose to anybody, at least not the A's, Angels or Orioles.

The Royals' postseason run is a great baseball story. The nation is getting to know players like Eric Hosmer, Alex Gordon and Mike Moustakas. They are finding out how good their bullpen is. Ned Yost, a manager ripped to shreds by fans and media alike, is 8-0 in the playoffs. They win every close game. They catch every batted ball. Every batted ball.

There is a lot to like and root for here.

But can O's fans dismiss Dyson's comments, forgive Guthrie and root for this team in the World Series?

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