Lake Buena Vista, Fla. – For the past month, there has been this assumption floating like pine pollen across Tigertown’s baseball complex.
It has to do with rookie outfielder JaCoby Jones, and expectations he will begin the regular season at Triple A Toledo in a bid to refine his hitting.
But after Thursday’s game, a 5-3 victory over the Braves at Champion Field, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus could state that nothing final has been settled with respect to Jones, who had a medal-winning afternoon.
“He’s still in the mix,” Ausmus said after Jones drilled a homer to the berm in left, swatted a single, drew a walk, stole two bases, and made a cross-country catch on Brandon Phillips’ drive up the right-center field alley.