Shadowing Practice: I Tried Becoming a Pro Baseball Player ft. Derek Jeter! - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Your only chance getting a home run is an inside -the -park home run.
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That means you gotta hit it and just run.
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That's your chance.
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I got there first.
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America's pastime, baseball.
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A sport whose history has not only given us household names like Mays,
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Mantle, and Bonds, but nicknames that carry equal weight like the Bambino, Mr. October.
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And of course, the captain.
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Derek Jeter, 14 -time
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All -Star, five -time
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World Series champion, first ballot
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Hall of Famer.
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And in baseball, greatness is defined in five different areas.
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Hitting for average, hitting for power, fielding, and speed.
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Yeah!
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Today, our fearless warrior will set out to prove he is much more than a pair of cleats.
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Ow!
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Our gladiator will have to show the captain...
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I don't have a lot of confidence in his success.
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...but he is ready for the show.
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This is Speed Goes Pro.
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Whoa!
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It's that time, baby!
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Whoa!
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Whoa, this place is huge.
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Yo, yo, yo.
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What's happening, dawg?
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What's going on?
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What about everything?
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Come on.
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Mason Wynn is the gold glove -winning shortstop for the St. Louis Cardinals.
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The dynamic infielder dazzles fans and opponents alike with his defensive prowess and cannon for an arm.
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Two -thirds of the earth is covered by water, the rest by Mason Wynn.
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He will do what he can to get speed prepared for Derek Jeter.
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I'm ready.
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Let's do it.
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All right.
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Let's do it.
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It's good to get told by somebody who's the best at baseball so I can show Derek Jeter what I'm about.
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Did you play baseball as a kid or what?
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I played T -ball.
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T -ball?
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T -ball at like probably been like 15 years.
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15 years?
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Yeah.
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Let me see the swing, man.
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Come on.
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Mason gets speed into Dick's Hittrack's batting cage to analyze his swing.
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The sim will provide feedback on swing mechanics, speed, accuracy, and help speed refine his technique.
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It also may just end up being a real eye -opener for Mason in terms of the work he has ahead.
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Hey, this is crazy, man.
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Oh.
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This is some bull .
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I hit it.
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May not physically, but mentally, I'm still seeing the ball.
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So if mentally you're still seeing the ball, you're still good.
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Like, you're still good.
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All right.
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First impression, dude's an athlete for sure.
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Baseball, you know, it's a little different.
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You can't just rely on your athletic ability.
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It's something that you have to just do over and over
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and over until your body kind of gets used to the motions.
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If you're athletic, you can go and dunk a basketball.
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You can, you know, run a good route on the field.
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But when you step in the box, you're facing real live pitching, you're facing a moving ball, it's tough.
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Now, I'm not going to say I'm the biggest power hitter, but you look at a guy like
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Judge, when he swings, they're swinging and they're leaning back like this.
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You know what I mean?
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You're kind of coming forward with it when you're doing it.
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Like, just think about leaning back kind of...
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Got it.
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You know what I'm saying?
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Got it.
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Ay!
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See, that's the best swing you've had all day, right there.
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Okay, that was solid.
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That was solid.
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Dude, that's actually, like, surprisingly good.
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I'm kind of confused.
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It felt great.
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It felt like I was a little kid playing t -ball again.
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All right.
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Now, be honest with me.
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How was my swing?
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And don't lie.
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Hey, it's not bad, it's a good start.
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You got some things to work on, but, I mean, you're athletic, man.
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You're gonna figure it out.
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How was, like, my numbers on here?
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Uh, it's day one.
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You'll get there.
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Oh, hell no. Wow!
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This is the field.
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I see Fanatics hooked you up with some Rez gear.
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Oh, yeah.
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Yo, W Fanatics, man.
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Cincinnati Rez right here.
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This is my team and city.
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You want to just play catch real quick?
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Come on now, let me see what you got, dog.
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All right, back.
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Come on.
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If you're going to be a ball player, you got to be 5 '2", man.
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To test speed on the five tools of baseball, Mason will work with him on his fielding, arm strength, base running.
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Hitting for average and hitting for power.
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We've got to work on the defense now.
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If you're going against Jeter, we're going to have to train you to be a shortstop.
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First take, I mean, definitely better at throwing than he was hitting, no doubt.
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Got to tie the shoes, but he looks like a ball player.
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To test Speed's ability to live up to his look, Mason has made his own call to the bullpen.
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Let me bring out my Miami guys, help us out.
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The Miami Hurricanes baseball team was one of the final 16 teams in the 2025
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College World Series.
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We got Jake out here.
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He's finna help us out.
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Jake, you want to show him what a backhand look like?
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Jeter's known for the backhand Jeter throw.
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Oh, what a play.
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All right, backhand.
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Okay.
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Get there.
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Get there.
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Hey, come on.
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Come on, baby.
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This is easy, man.
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Ground balls are easy and period for me.
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Got scared of it sometimes it is a little bit hard.
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I'm hot.
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I'm hot and sometimes the ball and it can come right at you and come at your damn feet.
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Ow!
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Oh!
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Welcome to it.
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It just hit me the damn ankle.
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I forgot he was a soccer fan.
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My ankle, it still stings right now, to be honest.
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God.
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Because it hit my ankle hard.
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It hit your ankle hard because you didn't field it.
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Fielding is stopping the ball and making the play.
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If my ankle stopped the ball, I stopped the ball and I made the play.
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I still carried on with the first baseman.
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You fell on the ground and were screaming in pain.
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That's not a foul.
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All right, next tool, we got base running.
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We know you got the speed.
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Base running is not about speed.
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It's about the technique.
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You just run it straight through.
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You're a speed guy, right?
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Yes, I am.
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I'm going to need at least a 4 '2".
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That's average.
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That's average for a speed guy, it's average.
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All right.
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4 -4 on the dot you're slower than the average speed guy I'm slow
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but that hey
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that looked like a warm -up you want to be a fast guy
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you're trying to run a 4 -1 that's a 4 -1 -5
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if you can get to a 4 -1 you're elite I'm just
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so used to running and just bare feet my feet feel a bit slower and You know,
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I think tomorrow in front of Jeter with some adrenaline going, I really think he could get to a sub -four.
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I really do.
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Biggest part of base running, got to be stealing bases.
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This is where you're going to excel the most, I think.
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No doubt.
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Do you know how to slide?
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Yep, I think I know how to slide.
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I mean, oh, you a soccer guy.
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You a soccer guy.
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Is it like a Sergio Ramos slide?
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Yeah, something like that, a little slide tackle.
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Just don't take out our shortstop, all right?
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There it is.
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Whoo!
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I don't even feel like getting up now.
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how do i know if it's like do i steal
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or not hey you're gonna look at the feet you see
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that left leg raise you take it off you see
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that right one you got to get back 90 feet separate first
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and second pace against top level pitching a runner needs to cover
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that distance in less than four seconds slide earlier than you think
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oh he's out of there he's out of there get there
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Jake, Jake, I need not to slide.
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Oh, I forgot.
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You got to stay on the base, don't you?
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Stealing bases, he's got the speed.
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He doesn't have the baseball instinct quite yet.
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Ah!
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Yeah, Jake!
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Ow!
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What?
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Hey!
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Yeah!
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Balls on the ground.
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Woo!
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Woo!
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Yeah!
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In fairness, you were hosed by six feet, but my man
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Jake dropped the ball, so you're in there.
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OK.
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Woo!
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Stole my first base.
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I'd never done that before, so that was actually fun stealing bases.
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I wish I would have kept playing baseball when I got older.
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We did defense.
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We did base running.
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Yes.
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Last thing's hitting, then you 5 '2 right there.
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Woo!
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That's my favorite part right here.
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Let's get to it.
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Cages is easy this right here on the real field is where we get
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it done you need to keep your weight back other than
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that bro you saw
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that I think he's gonna translate out here this ball is gonna fly
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I promise you let's get some home runs in here hey oh all right
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it's all good you get three for a reason he's a little late
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Holy, holy, oh, oh my God.
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He's a little late.
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I think he's a little late.
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Speed is never late.
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Yeah, I think I'm ready.
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Like when I face Derek Jeter, I'm bringing my A game.
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I think I'm ready to step up now.
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We can try it.
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Come on, Tate.
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In all honesty, bro, you're here.
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You're here in all honesty.
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so far speed has faced batting practice balls thrown lightly over the middle
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now he'll face live pitching including sliders cutters
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and a 90 mile per hour fastball is
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that usually how close they are where he's at right
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now yeah i'm just saying on tv
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it looks farther sounds like you scared scared yeah right you think i'm playing i'm gonna smash your ball Come on.
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Come on.
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Come on.
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Come on.
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That's first pitch.
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Hey, that's crazy.
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Oh.
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That's first pitch.
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I told him, man.
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It felt good.
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I just wanted to leave after that.
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I just wanted to put it all over his face and leave and never swing at his pitch again, just so he can be mad.
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I'm going to throw it from behind him.
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Oh, hell no!
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You going to charge or what?
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Oh, hell no!
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You look a little too comfortable in there.
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Somebody bring him some new pants, dawg.
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It's coming at me, so I'm like, oh!
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So I moved away, my heart dropped.
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So I was scared after that.
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So when he threw his next pitch, I was just, I wasn't even thinking about swigging.
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Oh, I'm being scared of the ball, bro.
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Even though that's the whole trick, but it's pretty smart.
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Oh, you leave.
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Whoo -hoo!
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That's a ball!
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What the hell?
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Whoo!
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What the...
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A little late on that one, just a little bit.
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I ain't had time to react to that.
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What the ?
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Baseball is maybe one of the hardest sports in the world.
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There's curveballs, there's sliders.
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The ball could be coming right at you.
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This would be like, oh, never mind.
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,, bro.
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You can't react to it.
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Yes, he did.
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Oh ,, yes, he did.
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Man.
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Hey, that's good for today.
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You got a big day tomorrow.
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Let's call it.
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Let's call it.
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Nah, that one, one more, bro.
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All right, one more.
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Oh, yeah.
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Oh, yeah.
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Tank?
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That's got to be a triple right there.
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Yeah!
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It's that time.
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As the Miami sun sets over the gold glove winner in speed, they walk away feeling satisfied.
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But tomorrow, the captain will be the one to decide.
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That's an entirely different ballgame.
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Oh, yeah!
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It's game time, baby!
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Oh, yes, yes, yes!
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we really here i don't think i understand what i'm about to do
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speed goes pro huh we'll find out the captain Derek Jeter, a five -time
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World Series champion and Hall of Famer.
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Speed will have to truly impress to earn Jeter's respect.
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What's up, man?
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It's that time, man.
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You ready for this?
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I'm ready.
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All right, you think you're ready.
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I've been training.
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You're ready to be a pro?
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I'm ready to be a pro.
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All right, let's start by tucking your shirt in, man.
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If you're going to be a professional.
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You trying to look like a professional or be a professional? Which one?
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Boo.
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All right, let's tuck it in.
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All right, okay.
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Let's tuck it in.
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It's all a style thing.
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Derek Jeter's back in the day.
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He likes the shirt tucked, so, you know, I got to respect that.
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I have the five tools to become a great baseball player.
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Did you play at all growing up?
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T -ball.
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T -ball, okay.
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Well, you're ready, I think.
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T -ball, now let's go.
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I don't have a lot of confidence in his success.
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This has nothing to do with athleticism.
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Baseball's a little different sport.
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Are you ready for it?
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I'm ready for it.
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Let's do it.
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Let's get ready.
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You loose?
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I'm loose.
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I'm ready.
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The average shortstop fields at like 97, 98 % of the time.
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So what we're gonna do is we're gonna give you 20 ground balls.
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You only need to get 18.
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The first 10, we're just gonna have you catch.
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The last 10, I'm gonna have you field the first.
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All right, so I'm helping you out.
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All right.
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You ready?
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Okay.
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I got this in the back.
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All right, one for one.
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Three for three.
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Jeter is quickly becoming acquainted with Speed's fielding skills.
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and also becoming acquainted with his penchant for creative scorekeeping.
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No, what?
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What?
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I got that one.
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Four out of five.
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I got that one.
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All right.
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Five out of six.
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Five out of six?
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Five out of six.
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You trying to take the one you dropped?
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I didn't drop it.
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I stopped it.
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You're a goalie now in hockey.
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I'll give it to you.
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Go ahead.
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Seven out of seven.
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Eight.
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All right.
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All right, that's 10 out of 10 right there.
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9 out of 10, 10 out of 10, however you want to do it.
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That's 10 out of 10.
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But now we're going to incorporate the throw.
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OK.
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See, in baseball, it's not just catching the ground ball.
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You got to throw the guy out that's running the first.
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You got to pretend there's a runner, so you got about 4 .2 seconds.
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Oh, no. OK, you added.
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No, that's how it is.
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Whatever, let's go.
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Oh, yeah, Dictator, it's for you, it's for you.
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It's 4 -7 -5.
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So that don't count?
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No, he would have been safe in.
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He would have beat it out.
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Come on.
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Back it up.
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15. Whenever you're ready.
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4 -6 -9.
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Yo, come on.
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I'm going to try to help you out.
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I'm going to give you a slow runner, OK?
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4 -8.
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4 -8.
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Yeah, 4 -8.
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4 -4.
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Yeah!
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You got it.
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All right.
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You got it.
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Let's go!
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Uh -oh.
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Hey.
399
You all right, man?
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I know.
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I've had it happen.
402
You all right?
403
Right when it was coming, I said, uh -oh.
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We almost lost him there with the injury.
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So hopefully it doesn't affect him the rest of the day.
406
Once you get hurt, you're a little timid.
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I think what he's understanding is it's not as easy as it looks on TV.
408
You want to do a little jump throw over there?
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Huh?
410
A jump throw?
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Let's make a deal.
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If I ace him my first time, I'll regain a point, 18 out of 20.
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100%.
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All right, man.
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Get it out!
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Jump throw!
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Only for your eyes.
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Jump throw, baby!
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Good job!
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Next up is base running, and to impress Jeter, Speed needs to do what he couldn't do the day prior, break four seconds.
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So this is where you should shine, right?
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Yes.
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This is your name, is Speed.
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Now, the average major league player, up 4 -2 -4 -3.
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But I don't expect average.
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I expect you to break four seconds.
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All right?
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Let's go.
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All right, as soon as you hit it, let's go.
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4 -1 -9.
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I can go faster than that.
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With the final tools focusing on hitting, it's imperative speed and press with his natural abilities.
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4 -0 -4.
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You could have been there faster.
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You touch the back of the bag.
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Focus on the front of the bag.
437
Here we go.
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419 again.
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What the ?
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It's like I'm running in, like, sand.
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Like, I can't really move my feet.
442
It's the last one.
443
What was it?
444
You think it was better or worse?
445
It felt the same.
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3 -8 -8.
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Woo!
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3 -8 -8, baby!
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Let's go!
450
He did a great adjustment.
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He only ran a few times.
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He's ran a 3 -8, which is good.
453
But now you're dealing with a pitcher and a catcher, so it's going to get a little bit harder.
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Now you've got to try to steal the base.
455
I'm ready.
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With an elite time in the run down the first baseline, Speed has one more test for his namesake skill,
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Stealing second, this time in the dirt against a high -caliber battery of pitcher and catcher.
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Oh!
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Ooh, save!
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Yo, Derrick!
461
Like, can you give me some tips on how to steal the base?
462
Get a big enough lead.
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If he tries to pick you off, make sure you dive back to the back corner.
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Back corner?
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Yep, so you're further away from him.
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So right there, that's where you're trying to hit.
467
He goes to pick you off.
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The average catcher's throw to second base takes two seconds and exposes a fundamental truth.
469
Nothing moves faster than the ball.
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I got there first.
471
He didn't tag me.
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What do you want him to tag you with?
473
But I got here first, though.
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No, sir.
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Yo, can we replay that?
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He got you.
477
I got there first.
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I dodged this tag, and I touched the base.
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Derrick was not looking hard enough.
480
Ah!
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It's the last one.
482
Yeah!
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Yeah, boy!
484
What you think this is?
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He not ready!
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He has to give some thanks to the catcher for the high throw.
487
I think they would have had him.
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Feuding and throwing, past that.
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Running to the first base, past that.
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I'm in a 3 -8.
491
Still in bases?
492
I got that, too.
493
Now it's on to the last one.
494
Speed's next test is to step into the batter's box and hit for average.
495
You're going to get five at -bats.
496
Can you give me one hit?
497
You sure about it?
498
I can give you one hit.
499
Show me.
500
Let's go.
501
That's one, A .B.
502
Oh, that was outside.
503
So you swung at it, man.
504
0 for 2.
505
I'm kind of confused right now.
506
I'm confused. At what?
507
I get five, what?
508
Five at bat.
509
What does that mean?
510
That means you struck out twice.
511
I struck out twice?
512
Yeah.
513
Hell.
514
You swung six times and missed it.
515
No, I fouled it.
516
Yeah, it's still a strike.
517
Next go around on Speed Goes Pro is the rules of the game.
518
Let me break it down for you.
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You get three strikes per at bat.
520
Oh, okay.
521
Now you're 0 for 2.
522
Oh, okay.
523
I thought I only get, like, five swings.
524
That's why I was like, wait, I swung it five times already.
525
You swung it six times.
526
Ooh.
527
All right, you getting out of the way.
528
I like it.
529
Ooh, all right, good eye.
530
Strike one, two, one.
531
Third at bat, two, two.
532
Watch out for these sliders.
533
Ooh.
534
All right, 0 for three.
535
You got two at bats left.
536
All right, all right, all right, all right.
537
Ball one.
538
Damn!
539
One and two, strike two.
540
That's a ball.
541
Ball.
542
All right.
543
Two and two.
544
Man.
545
God!
546
One more at bat.
547
Oh!
548
All right.
549
Woo!
550
Yeah!
551
You put it in play.
552
You put it in play.
553
Yes!
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I'm proud of you.
555
I got that one hit.
556
Well, that's not a hit.
557
It's a second baseman right there, man.
558
Speed's final challenge will be hitting for power.
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The test?
560
A batting practice home run.
561
How many does he get?
562
Yeah, really, until I get a home run.
563
Until you get a home run, we'll be here for the next three months.
564
There's got to be a beginning and an end.
565
20 pitches.
566
that's one that's two you might have got it to the outfield three how do i hit it farther
567
derek jeter knows ball and he's recognizing quickly
568
that speed hitting a legitimate home run isn't going to happen at least not with a wooden bat
569
you all right man yeah that was 10
570
You're getting jammed and getting hurt in batting practice with this wooden bat, man.
571
Let's give you aluminum.
572
Let's give you aluminum.
573
All right.
574
Man, this makes it a little easier.
575
You've got a long day.
576
All right.
577
Come on.
578
There you go.
579
Nah, I need more power.
580
Well, that didn't work.
581
I want a home run.
582
I really want a home run this episode.
583
Your only chance getting a home run is an inside -the -park home run.
584
That means you got to hit it and just run before they throw you out there.
585
That's your chance.
586
That's a good try, though, man.
587
It looks a lot easier on TV, huh?
588
It does.
589
I got to ask you the real question.
590
Do I have what it takes to go pro in baseball? At this moment?
591
Absolutely not.
592
Absolutely not.
593
But keep working at it.
594
You have the speed.
595
You can be a pinch runner.
596
What's that?
597
Take you off the bench to run for somebody late in the game, steal a base.
598
I'll give you that.
599
In that case, I have what it takes to be a pro baseball player.
600
I'm just trying to make you feel good right now.
601
You've got determination.
602
I appreciate that.
603
You work hard.
604
It's just, um, it's not your sport.
605
You gave up at T -ball.
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It's been 14 years since Speed last stepped onto the T -ball field.
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And while his eye -popping athleticism demands respect, so much time away from the sport made his pro aspirations a swing
608
and a miss you got the mindset i'll give you
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that you got the mindset
610
and the speed determination you got the speed all right take about 20 30 years we're gonna work with you
611
you ready man i'm not ready i haven't thrown a ball since i retired
612
so let's see okay right on top of the plate too you ready yep
613
That's all I need.
614
Man, you threw it down here.
615
I'm done.
616
He threw it right there.
617
He threw it at the dirt.
618
Can we get somebody else in here?
619
This man threw it at the dirt.
620
You can't pitch.
621
Then he threw it right there.
622
Yeah.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “I Tried Becoming a Pro Baseball Player ft. Derek Jeter!”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: ball, speed, base. This video has 614 sentences and 3748 words to shadow. The speech runs for 26:52. The speaker talks at a steady 139 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 83% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| swing verb | /ˈswɪŋ/ | To rotate about an off-centre fixed point. |
| pitch noun | /pɪt͡ʃ/ | A throw; a toss; a cast, as of something from the hand. |
| steal verb | /stiːl/ | To take illegally, or without the owner's permission, something owned by someone else without intending to return it. |
| slide noun | /ˈslaɪ̯d/ | An item of play equipment that children can climb up and then slide down again. |
| scare verb | /skɛɚ/ | To frighten, terrify, startle, especially in a minor way. |
| ankle noun | /ˈæŋ.kəl/ | The skeletal joint which connects the foot with the leg; the uppermost portion of the foot and lowermost portion of the leg, which contain this skeletal joint. |
| runner noun | /ˈɹʌnɚ/ | A person who moves, on foot, at a fast pace, especially an athlete. |
| tuck verb | /tʌk/ | To pull or gather up (an item of fabric). |
| soccer noun | /ˈsɑk.ɚ/ | Association football. |
| confused adjective | /kənˈfjuːzd/ | unable to think clearly or understand |
| dirt noun | /dɝt/ | Soil or earth. |
| athletic adjective | /æθˈlɛt.ɪk/ | Having to do with athletes. |
| whoa | /woʊ/ | Stop (especially when commanding a horse or imitative thereof); calm down; slow down. |
| catcher noun | /ˈkæt͡ʃəɹ/ | Someone or something that catches. |
| technique noun | /tɛkˈniːk/ | The practical aspects of a given art, occupation etc.; formal requirements. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| strike out verb | To lash out; to strike or hit at someone or something, particularly something in arm's length of the striker and at or near the level of the striker's head. | |
| bring out verb | To elicit, evoke, or emphasize (a particular quality). | |
| do over verb | /ˈduˌoʊvɚ/ | To cover with; to smear or spread on to. |
| end up verb | To bring to a conclusion. | |
| find out verb | To discover, as by asking or investigating. | |
| get back verb | Return to where one came from. | |
| get out of verb | To leave, exit or escape from; to become free of. | |
| get up verb | To move in an upward direction; to ascend or climb. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Did you play baseball as a kid or what?
- You know what I'm saying?
- Just don't take out our shortstop, all right?
- You got to stay on the base, don't you?
- You're ready to be a pro?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | has not only given · you've had · has made |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is defined · is covered · were hosed |
| Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past | was hitting · were screaming · wasn't even thinking |
| Comparatives -er than / more … than — comparing two things | slower than · earlier than · faster than |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 133 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, you're, gonna. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: athletic /æθˈlɛt.ɪk/, athlete /ˈæθ.liːt/, athleticism /æθˈlɛtɪsɪzəm/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: determination /dɪˌtɜːmɪˈneɪʃən/, impression /ɪmˈpɹɛʃn̩/, shoe /ˈʃu/, shine /ʃaɪn/, smash /smæʃ/
- Long words — get the stress right: determination /dɪˌtɜːmɪˈneɪʃən/, aluminum /əˈlu.mɪ.nəm/, fundamental /ˌfʌn.dəˈmɛn.təl/, accuracy /ˈæk.jɚ.ə.si/, legitimate /lɪˈd͡ʒɪt.ɪ.mət/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like swing, pitch, steal.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.