LAKELAND, Fla. -- Sure, it's a small sample size, but Dominic Ficociello has been tearing the cover off the ball through the early part of the Grapefruit League season.
For young players, seizing on limited opportunities is the name of the game in spring, and Ficociello has done just that, reaching base in five of seven plate appearances, with three runs, four hits, a homer runs and five RBIs.
"He's swinging the bat right now," said Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus, who watched Ficociello smack a home run Tuesday in Tampa in the Tigers' loss to the New York Yankees.