It’d be way too easy to scream “SMALL SAMPLE SIZE” at Brent Lillibridge’s statistics this season and dismiss them as a fluke. Yes, a .662 slugging percentage probably isn’t sustainable given Lillibridge isn’t Jose Bautista or Matt Joyce. But there’s one stat that can be considered reliable with Lillibridge’s sample size, and that’s swing percentage. …
Fangraphs’ Eno Sarris looks at how should Lillibridge be used.
‘‘Mechanics are big part of it, and the work with [hitting coaches Greg Walker and Mike Gellinger], but for the most part it’s the mental side of it,’’ said Lillibridge, who’s batting .308 after hitting .224 last season. ‘‘It’s helped me not miss pitches and have some success these first two months. I’m really happy with where I’m at.’’
