Bret Prinz: Former RHP MLB several teams

 

1. Could you tell us your story on dropping down?

I started to drop down when I was going to go to my second year of a ball. My pitching coordinator decided that they should make me a closer and to see how hard I could throw for one inning. Another reason was that I had trouble staying back over my back leg and it gave my arm time to catch up to my body in order to execute my pitches. It was very difficult at first as I couldn’t control my slider at all. I would release it in the zone then the next one I released it into the wall.

 

2. What are some of the advantages you had from your arm angle?

Some advantages that I instantly had were that my fastball tailed away from left handed hitters and into right handed hitter. Also with me staying back my slider gained a lot more tilt on it. I was also able to hide the ball better as was not going as far back with my arm and keeping the ball hidden in my body.

 

3. If you didn't drop down, do you think you would have had the same success?

If I hadn’t dropped down I don’t know if I would have made it to aa ball. I threw hard but the ball was easily picked up and when I went into the stretch I would lose 3 to 4 mph on my fastball and my slider was not as sharp. Dropping down then made me a fast track player and also the number 2 prospect in the Diamondbacks organization.

 

4. What would you tell someone debating on changing their arm angle?

I would tell someone that might want to drop down that it will take a lot of work. As you do not want to start throwing east and west as you always want to throw down the hill not side to side. You really only want to do it as a last resort. As it saved my career. Only do it if the success is not coming as the individual would like or want. Changing the pitching mechanics is not an overnight thing to do. It will take time.

 

5. Are there any mechanical tips that you'd give to someone throwing sidearm/submarine?

The mechanics aspect of dropping down are as follows. 1. Draw a line from the back heal of you balance foot so that you are not going side to side as you want to land as close to even with that line as possible. If you are over it you are opening up and if you don’t make it to the line you are closing yourself off and are throwing against your body( or as I call it fighting yourself). 2. Make sure you take your head to the glove as where the head goes the body will follow. When you pick up your target do not look at the entire glove, but a small piece of the glove as if you aim small you will miss small when you do miss the area that you are locked into. 3. Try to keep your eyes on the target as you feet know what they are doing. Basically I would get the sign then I would get to my balance point and then I would start to move my arm from the glove, then I would have a slight bend at the waist before exploding off of my back foot towards the target.

 

6. What pitches did you throw?

I threw a fastball, slider, and a split finger fastball.

 

7. How did you pitch to lefties/righties?

Pitching to righties I would go in and out with the fastball. I would go up and down in the zone also. I would come in to set up the slider away. I would go up in the zone to set up the split. Depending on the first pitch is how I would attack a hitter. He would tell me what he was looking for and what part of the plate he was trying to cover. You have to pitch inside if you want to be successful in this game as a pitcher. Lefties I really just threw fastballs away and then would let the slider bounce on his back foot. Every now and then I would let the slider catch the outside corner as it was a pitch I had to be careful that it didn’t break into the lefties swing as it could catch too much of the plate.

 

8. Lastly what was your favorite part about pitching from down there?

I guess I would have to say that my favorite part would be that it made me throw harder and I was able to get more movement. The deception that it created made it a lot easier for me to get major league hitters out. One last thing that I would say is that it allowed me to play the game that I love a little longer.