Part 5/12:
Johnson and Kinley predominantly rely on a single breaking ball—Johnson’s curveball and Kinley’s slider—thrown about 70-74% of the time. This high dependence on one pitch reduces their versatility, making them less compatible with Hefner’s approach, which favors relievers capable of matchup-proof, multi-pitch usage capable of handling different situations, including multiple-inning appearances.
Further, these relievers tend to elevate their pitch counts quickly because they often aim to get hitters to chase breaking balls outside the zone. They are not as effective at going deep into games or serving as multi-inning relievers, which Hefner’s system appears to prioritize.