“That’s what speed do” (baseball saying)
“That’s what speed do” became the slogan of the 2014 Kansas City Royals baseball team, appearing on T-shirts and even in a rap song. Speedy Royals outfielder Jarrod Dyson is credited for the saying. The Associated Press reported on March 18, 2011:
“‘Dyson can make people upset,’ Royals manager Ned Yost said. ‘He can make entire defenses upset. He can make pitchers upset. It takes them out of their game. That’s a component he brings. That’s what speed do.’”
The “that’s what speed do” saying became popular in Kansas City by late April 2011. “That’s what speed does” is an older saying. Baseball pitcher Don Sutton explained in 1982:
“That’s what a running game can do to you. You get too concerned about the runner, you might lose the hitter. If you worry about the hitter, the runner can hurt you. That’s what speed does.”
Wikipedia: Jarrod Dyson
Jarrod Martel Dyson (born August 15, 1984) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball.
Dyson was drafted by the Royals in the 50th round, 1,475th overall, of the 2006 amateur draft. He was first called up to the major leagues in September 2010.
Google News Archive
21 October 1982, Pittsburgh (PA) Post-Gazette, “Sutton balks at making excuses for shelling” by Bill Conlin (Knight-Ridder News Service), pg. 30, col. 2:
“That’s what a running game can do to you. You get too concerned about the runner, you might lose the hitter. If you worry about the hitter, the runner can hurt you. That’s what speed does.”
(Spoken by Don Sutton, Milwaukee Brewers pitcher.—ed.)
Google News Archive
1 May 1989, Pittsburgh (PA) Post-Gazette, “Magrane returns to beat Dodgers” (AP), pg. 14, col. 7:
“That’s what speed does to you. It drives you nuts,” Belcher said of his early exit.
(Spoken by Tim Belcher, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher.—ed.)
News Tribune (Jefferson City, MO)
Hernandez has rough night in Mariners loss
By The Associated Press
Friday, March 18, 2011
(...)
Jarrod Dyson had three infield singles off Hernandez, stole two bases and scored two runs. Billy Butler homered and drove in two runs, and Brayan Pena had three RBIs.
“Dyson can make people upset,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “He can make entire defenses upset. He can make pitchers upset. It takes them out of their game. That’s a component he brings. That’s what speed do.”
Twitter
Chris Murphy
@chrism70kc
Jerrod Dyson scores on a sacrifice fly…TO THE SHORTSTOP.
“That’s what speed do.” http://goo.gl/MWHLw
10:21 PM - 29 Apr 2011
Kings of Kauffman (Kansas City Royals blog)
“That’s What Speed Do”
by Michael Engel
April 30, 2011
All spring, we heard about how the Royals were going to increase their aggression on the basepaths. With Chris Getz, Alcides Escobar and others, they certainly had the personnel in place to steal more bases than other teams (provided they get on base first).
Twitter
Clinton Thomas
@ClintT13
Is there any doubt the next T-shirt Tuesday will say “That’s what speed do ...” on the front and DYSON 2 on the back? #Royals
8:54 PM - 30 Apr 2011
SB Nation—Hot Corner
“That’s What Speed Do.”
By Rob Neyer @robneyer on Jun 14 2012, 11:17p
(...)
Oh, and that headline at the top of the exposé? Apparently it’s a thing now, in Kansas City. It’s how management justifies Jarrod Dyson’s continuing presence on the 25-man roster.
USA Today
Pennant primer: ‘That’s what speed do’ saves Royals
Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY Sports 8:51 a.m. EDT September 16, 2014
(...)
We present to you, “That’s what speed do.”
It’s officially a thing in Kansas City, the phrase coined by speedy Royals outfielder Jarrod Dyson a few years back, and now it’s a rallying cry at Kauffman Stadium.
Indeed, the club often finds itself leaning on a fleet group of players who use their legs to make up for a team-wide deficiency with the bats.
YouTube
Kansas City Royals rap song: That’s What Speed Do
BicMedia Music + Motion
Published on Oct 18, 2014
May the 2014 World Series #BeRoyal
Produced by: BicMedia
Composer: Julian Bickford