Share
PrintLiving It Up: Batting
A true sign that summer is in the air. tonight, Living It Up is headed to the ball park. Jackie Johnson is on deck and ready to hit one over the fence. She's getting batting lessons from one of the marlins' heavy hitters.
(WSVN) -- We are living it up at the Florida Marlins spring training camp in Jupiter Florida where I'm about to join the Marlins for some batting practice and some one on one lessons with the great Derek Lee.
Jackie: "Well we've got Derek Lee here. Last year you had 27 home runs, tell me, I need to learn, tell me what it takes to be good at batting."
Derek Lee: "Man, it's just a lot of practice. You know I've been playing since I was 2 years old. And now it's just kind of a habit to me."
Jackie: "And do you have to have a lot of muscle to be able to hit. I mean is it strength, what else is it?"
Derek: "You know what it is, it's bat speed, so you don't necessarily need muscle, although it helps but uh the main thing is just having quick wrists, quick hands and creating that bat speed so you get that good power behind the ball."
Jackie: "What do you think about before you go and hit the ball?"
Jackie: "I'm about to get my first batting lesson from Derek Lee, let's see how I do.
Derek: "Alright Jackie before we get started, you gotta represent the Marlins."
Jackie: "I'm a Florida Marlin now."
Derek: "Alright let's start off with the stance."
Derek: "You just want to get in a position where you can cover the whole plate."
Derek: "That looks good right there."
Derek: "Just step and swing from there."
Derek: "That's perfect."
Derek: "That's a home run."
Jackie: "Well you saw me try to give it a shot, now lets see Derek try to hit."
Derek: "Let's see if I can do as good as she did."
Jackie: "Not as good as me, but that was close."
Derek: "I think you showed me up."
Jackie: "I mean I can work with you if you want."
Jackie: "Well that's what it's like living it up with the Florida Marlins, a big thanks to Derek Lee for giving me those excellent batting lessons."