Cookie Monster: Princeton 3, Robert Morris 2

Kelly Cooke

After coming back from their exam period, the Tigers kicked off their second half with a nice win over Robert Morris, in the two teams' first-ever meeting. Princeton dominated the first two period, and held off the Colonials, who seemed to awaken in the third period, to hang on for a 3-2 victory.

The Tigers struck first, with a shot by Kelly Cooke going off of the Colonial goalie's mask, the rebound slapped in by Danielle DiCesare. In the second period, the Tigers moved up two-zip when Rose Alleva fired in a shot from the face off circle.

Later in the period, Robert Morris pulled within one when Rachel Weber seemed frozen on a shot that sailed past her stick shoulder. Weber makes so many great saves that it seemed odd she'd let one go that was so easy. But the Tigers got the goal back when Ali Pankowski slapped a power play goal in from the slot.

The Tigers out shot the Colonials 23-12 in the first two periods, but Robert Morris, perhaps shaking off the effects of a long bus ride, woke up in the third period, and out shot the Tigers 12-6. On a power play, Colonials' forward Rebecca Vint charged through the zone like a bulldozer, and her shot went off Weber's pads right to Thea Imbrogo, who had an easy goal.

The Tigers managed to hold on for the win, though it wasn't easy. With only a minute and a half to go, Heather Landry was whistled for interference, and RMU pulled their goalie and had a 6-4 advantage. But the Tigers killed that off (they also did the same to 54 seconds of 5 x 3 to begin the second period).

There were lots of positive signs. For one, that the Tigers racked up two power play goals is terrific, as this was one of the weaker parts of their game. And though she only had one assist, I give the game puck to Cooke, who seemed to be everywhere at once, always around the puck. Cooke, or Cookie as she is known to the fans, seems to hover above the ice like a water bug. She's only five-foot one, but plays with a lot of heart.

While the Tigers were on winter break they fell in the standings to seventh, so they will need one of their usual second-half winning streaks if they have any hope of home ice in the playoffs. A playoff spot, barring a complete collapse, seems assured, but they have some tough games ahead. This weekend they visit Dartmouth and Harvard, and then will end the season with four games at home.

Fielder's Choice

The phone rang on Tuesday--it was my dad. He normally calls on Sundays, so I knew there must be something unusual going on. I hoped nobody had died. No, instead it was Tiger news. They'd signed, pending a physical, Prince Fielder. Happy happy joy joy!

I've heard all the commentary. Some people seem to think this is a bad idea, but I wonder what they're smoking. Fielder, who is only 27, has averaged 38 home runs a season. His batting percentages are .282/.390/.540. He has finished in the top four in the MVP voting three times in the last four years. He plays every day. What's the downside?

Some say he's not worth a nine-year contract, and that players with his kind of girth break down after 32-33 years old. Well, that may be, but for the next five years he figures to keep the Tigers at the elite level of the American League. When it comes to years six through nine we'll worry about that then. It's not my money. If Fielder can get a championship before he's too fat to move, it's worth it.

It's amazing how these things come about, and reminds me (and others) of how the Yankees got Alex Rodriguez. In both situations it was an off-season injury that changed things radically. The Tigers had no interest in Fielder, a first-baseman, because they already have one of the best first basemen in the league, Miguel Cabrera. But when Victor Martinez, their DH and cover for Cabrera, batting behind him, went down with a torn ACL, the Tigers lineup suddenly had a huge crater it. Names like Carlos Pena, Johnny Damon, and Casey Hotchner were bandied about in the press. When Pena was signed by the Rays, I figured the Tigers would just make do. But then--boom!

This will create some interesting problems for manager Jim Leyland. Cabrera, who was approached to get his blessing before the signing, has said he will play third base, where he hasn't played regularly since 2008. I wonder if Leyland agrees. Cabrera, generously, is 260 pounds, and is not exactly cat-like. When the Tigers acquired him, they started him at third, where he made five errors in 12 games, and promptly moved him to first base, where he has remained. I think a more reasonable proposition is to have Cabrera and Fielder rotate at 1B-DH. It's only when Martinez comes back that a logjam exists, but that's a problem most teams would like to have.

Comerica Park is also not as generous in allowing home runs as Miller Park. The highest total for a left-handed hitter is 14 home runs. I expect Fielder, though, who is in his prime, will at least double if not triple that mark. No matter, he is sure to help the Tigers. It was thought Martinez was irreplaceable, but the Tigers (who one writer called "the Yankees of the Midwest") went out and got somebody better. Dumb Bill Plaschke said on Around the Horn  last night that Fielder would only add a win or two. Well, the Tigers won 95 games last year. That sounds good to me.

It's also something of a homecoming for Fielder. His father, Cecil, played seven seasons for the Tigers during the '90s, and young, roly-poly Prince was a fixture at Tiger Stadium, as seen in this photo. Father and son, I've read, have been estranged, but have recently made strides at reconciliation. I hope they do, and I hope Prince does his father proud by smashing many taters for his new club.

Morris, Trammell Fall Short of Hall Vote

As a Tiger fan, I root for former Tiger players to get in the Hall of Fame. Of all the players who sport Tiger caps on their plaques in the Hall, only one, Al Kaline, played during my memory. Sparky Anderson spent most of his career managing the Tigers, but chose a Reds cap for his plaque. The last Tiger to be inducted was Hal Newhouser, a star from the '40s, elected by the Veterans' Committee.

Two Tigers were on the ballot this year, and one came pretty close while another wallows in below-50-percent territory (75 percent is necessary for induction). The odd thing about this is that the more deserving player is the one who gets the lower vote totals.

Finishing second to Barry Larkin, the only player elected this year by the writers, was Jack Morris, who garnered two-thirds of the vote, falling 48 short, in his 13th year on the ballot. He has two more tries--only one player (Gil Hodges), has gotten more than 50 percent of the vote and not gotten elected to the Hall. But Morris faces stiffer competition in the next two years, particularly from pitchers like Curt Schilling, Gred Maddux, Roger Clemens, and Tom Glavine, who will be new to the ballot.

Morris pitched for 14 years in Detroit, winning 198 game for the Tigers (254 in total), and more games than anyone in the 1980s. He was the ace of three different World Series winning teams ('84 Tigers, '91 Twins, '92 Jays) and pitched one of the most brilliant games in World Series history, the seventh game of the '91 series.

Yet I'm not entirely in the Morris boat--I have one foot in, one out. The detractors cite his 3.90 E.R.A., which would be the highest of starting pitchers in the Hall. He never won a Cy Young (he did finish third twice and fourth once). But Hall of Fame credentials are notoriously selective. For example, it can be said of Ted Simmons: More RBI than Bench, more runs that Carter, more hits than Berra or Fisk. But Ted Simmons is no Hall-of-Famer, and has never come close in a vote.

I'm not patient enough or statistician enough to delve deep into the numbers. Joe Posnanski, a writer for Sports Illustrated, is, and has voted thumbs down on Morris, comparing him to Dennis Martinez, who came nowhere close to election. Indeed, baseball-reference.com marks Martinez as closest to Morris. Martinez was 245-193 with 3.70 E.R.A., and a 1.26 WHIP. Morris was 254-186, 3.90 E.R.A., 1.62 WHIP. However, Morris averaged 16 wins and 12 losses to Martinez's 13-10, and of course Morris pitched on a bigger stage more often. Then again, Morris' post-season record of 7-4, 3.80 wasn't exactly Christy Mathewson-like.

But sometimes numbers don't tell the whole story. Defenders cite that his E.R.A. was due to "pitching to the score," i.e., if his team had six runs, he would try to make sure the opposition didn't score more than five. That sounds like rationalization to me. But Morris was a battler and a workhorse--he finished in the top five in innings pitched six times and in games started eight times.

Morris jumped fourteen percentage points last year. All signs point to him being elected eventually, but given who's coming up it may not be by the writers. Would I vote for him. Eh...I'm not sure.

I would definitely vote for Alan Trammell, the Tigers' shortstop during their glory years of the '80s. Posnanski is all for him, citing how similar his stats are to Larkin's (and this is no knock on Larkin). Bill James calls him the ninth greatest shortstop of all time.

Yet Trammell garnered only about half as many votes as Morris, 36 percent. That's up 14 points, but he's still got a long way to go. He's got four more years, so there's time, but not much.

Let's compare him to Larkin, who baseball-reference.com cites as his second closest match (his first is Edgar Renteria, admittedly not a feather in his cap). Trammell had 2,365 hits, 185 home runs, 1231 runs, 1003 RBI, and hit .285/.352/.415. Larkin numbers in those categories: 2340, 198, 1329, 960, and .295/.371/.444. Larkin had 379 steals to Trammell's 236, a big edge.

When I look at fielding statistics, I see categories that baffle me, but I don't think anyone would say that Larkin was significantly a better fielder than Trammell. Larkin has a slight edge in offensive categories over all, but not enough to justify his election while Trammell bobs around the 30 percent mark. Larkin did win an MVP award, but as Posnanski pointed out, Trammell should have won the 1987 MVP, and he was MVP of a World Series.

A similar and worse fate befell Trammell's double-play partner, Lou Whitaker, who appeared only once on the ballot and got 2.9 percent and promptly fell off.

So, my question is, to those who voted for Larkin and not Trammell, why not?

Oh, So Close: Princeton 2, Dartmouth 2

Brianna Leahy

It would be hard to top yesterday's tie between Princeton and Dartmouth for pure excitement. My friend, after the game had completed, turned to me and said, "That overtime period was the best hockey I've seen all year." I had to agree. Unfortunately, the Tigers let a point slip away on a defensive lapse.

After dominating Harvard the night before, I was half expecting the Tigers to show tired legs the next day, but they came out strong and, as with the Harvard game, took a lead near the end of the first period. This time it was on a shot by Gabie Figueroa from the point. But Dartmouth tied it in the second on an artful shot by Kelly Foley, who impressed me the entire game with her skating ability. She took the puck in front of the crease, skated out a few feet, whirled and fired the shot seemingly without looking, hitting the roof of the net past a helpless Rachel Weber.

Weber had a great game, making 39 saves, but her opposite, Lindsay Holdcroft, was making some acrobatic saves of her own. The Tigers had plenty of chances, but it was still 1-1 halfway through the third period. Then, on a power play, Ali Pankowski boomed a shot from the point that was tipped in by Breanna Leahy. I looked at the clock, saw less than ten minutes to go, and said aloud, "Now it's time to hold on for dear life."

The Tigers, who had a marching line to the penalty box all game, held off Dartmouth for over a minute down 5 on 3, but with less than three minutes to go, somehow Reagan Fischer of the Big Green slipped past defensemen Charissa Stadnyk and Brianne Mahoney, without being offside. A pass from that damn Foley girl went right through to her, and she skated unopposed against Weber. Her shot hit the top shelf of the net and the game was tied.

The remainder of the game and the entire five minutes of overtime was perilous for both teams, as there were many scoring chances. A big crowd cried aloud with each attempt. Both teams were whistled for penalties in the extra frame, both were killed off. The Tigers, in fact, killed off ten penalties and were perfect on the penalty kill, though the officials missed a call on Dartmouth when a player absolutely leveled a Tiger at mid-ice, and somehow the Tigers got called for the infraction.

The game ended with a flurry of shots at Holdcroft, and as time expired Denna Laing put one right at the Big Green goalie, but Holdcroft held on and the game was over.

The Tigers now have a road trip to Colgate/Cornell before breaking for exams. As with previous years, the battle will be for home ice in the playoffs, which will require some help and some exemplary play. With their inability generally to score goals, they can't afford to make mistakes like they did yesterday. We'll take the tie, but they should have won that game.

Tenacious D: Princeton 3, Harvard 0

Heather Landry

Since last I posted about the Princeton Women's Ice Hockey team, they played two games on the road, both at Ohio State, and both ending in ties. They were out shot by the Buckeyes almost 2-to-1, but due to Rachel Weber's goaltending and some lucky breaks, they came out with two points.

Last year at this time, the Tigers were 3-10 and then went on a magic streak, buoyed by Weber's standing on her head in goal. Could it happen against this year? After last night's 3-0 win over Harvard, it just might be. The Tigers played their best game of the season, firing on all cylinders, shutting down the top-ten ranked Crimson.

It didn't start well. Less than one minute into the game the puck snuck past Weber, and it appeared that the Tiger faithful would be in for a long night. But the refs reviewed the video and waved it off, determining that it was kicked in. Given new life, Princeton pounced, attacking the puck and dominating play. Of course, dominating play and scoring are two different things for the Tigers, but near the end of the period Sally Butler, the Tigers most prolific scorer this season, tallied a goal to give Princeton the lead.

The second period was scoreless, but Princeton still wasn't checking the standings to see that Harvard had a better record. In the third, Butler scored again, and further insurance came on a power play by Danielle DiCesare.

The Tigers defense, a young squad after losing two to graduation last year, are showing their stripes. Gabie Figueroa, Rose Alleva and froshes Ali Pankowski and Brianne Mahoney were exemplary in keeping the puck out of their own end, while Paula Romanchuk, once a scoring force for the Tigers, has settled into a role as their best defensive forward. She won 13 of 16 faceoffs.

For this article I want to give special props to Heather Landry, a senior wing. She has always been a battler, but never a flashy scorer. With Olivia Mucha out for the season (the charm of boutique college sports is that you can find out the health of a player by asking them--Miss Mucha sat two rows in front of me, sporting a cast and sling on her busted wing) Landry has taken her spot on the first line with Butler and Denna Laing. She was all over the place last night, constantly in the mix, and contributed assists on both of Butler's goals.

With the Crimson defeated, the big test will be the Dartmouth Big Green today, because often the Tigers leave everything on the ice and have a let-down in the second game of the typical two-game home stand.

Winter Meetings

I was speaking with my dad, from whom I inherited my passion for the Detroit Tigers, and we were both somewhat disturbed by Dave Dombrowski's comment that the Tigers were "finished" after the negligible moves at this year's Winter Meetings. They added two players, both middle relievers, and did not address the gaping holes at second and third base and the starting rotation.

Granted, this was a team that came two games short of going to the World Series, but they have lost some key players: Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen, while both ailing, provided some timely hits, and Brad Penny, while eminently hittable down the stretch, means that the Tigers have no automatic candidate for the fifth starter.

The Tigers signed Octavio Dotel, who now holds the record for most-traveled player in MLB history, as Detroit is his 13th team. If you Google him in "images," you get a rainbow of different-colored uniforms. Even at 38, he's not a bad signing, especially considered the Rangers exposed the Tigers' weakness in middle relief. Dotel figures to be the seventh-inning guy, before giving way to Joaquin Benoit and Jose Valverde.

Then the Tigers swapped middle relievers with Washington, sending them Ryan Perry and receiving in return Collin Balester, who is a year older but had an E.R.A. of 1 run better than Perry. It wasn't exactly a blockbuster trade; both had negative WAR figures. Perry was a first-round draft pick for the Tigers who never turned into the closer they hoped.

Earlier this off season the Tigers reacquired Gerald Laird, the good-defense no-hit catcher who they had a few years ago. Laird is great at throwing out baserunners, but was an automatic out at the plate. It's a great pickup, though, as since Victor Martinez is done catching, Laird can spot Alex Avila, who was out of gas after catching 133 games in 2011.

So, question marks remain. Apparently second base will be a platoon between Ramon Santiago and Ryan Raburn, which isn't bad, though sketchy on defense. Third will be another platoon between Brandon Inge, who is a good defensive player but cannot hit right-handed pitching, and Don Kelly, a utility player who had some key hits in the post-season (as did Inge). But neither position will provide much pop in the order. I had wondered whether the Phillies may find Placido Polanco expendable, but probably not now after they did not sign Aramis Ramirez (the Brewers did), or perhaps David Wright would be traded by the Mets, who are going through something of a fire sale. The rumor mill churned that a Delmon Young for Martin Prado trade with the Braves was in the offing, but nothing has come of it.

As for a fifth starter, that will probably be determined in spring training, with phenom Jacob Turner getting a shot, along with Duane Below and Andrew Oliver. Or, they'll pick someone up off the scrap heap.

Though I find this inactivity unsettling, I do give Dombrowski the benefit of the doubt, as he has shown some uncanny moves in his tenure with Detroit.

Brother, Can You Spare a Goal? Quinnipiac 1, Princeton 0

Rachel Weber

As long as I've been watching Princeton hockey, which is over ten years now, they've had a problem scoring goals. At times it has seemed like a curse, or a comic film in which some wizard has cast a spell, making them incapable of scoring, but enabling them to come very close; ringing pucks off the post, or making superwomen out of the opposing goalies.

That was the story last night as Quinnipiac, one of the better teams in the ECAC, came in to Baker Rink and skunked the Tigers 1-0. As per the script, the Tigers played well, out shooting the Bobcats 26-22 and getting several more terrific scoring chances--they hit the post twice this time! But a second period goal by Melissa Perry held up, and the Tigers went down to defeat.

This is a shame, because it puts undue pressure on Rachel Weber, the Tigers goalie. She has to play perfectly in order for the Tigers to win against top teams. It was hard to tell whose fault it was for the one goal--Weber looked to have been screened--but even a great goalie allows one in now and then. Weber hasn't been as good as she was last year--I'll give her the benefit of the doubt and chalk up the higher goals-per-game percentage to a shaky D, which has been both injury-riddled and stocked with rookies--but putting this all on her shoulders is unfair.

I really don't know what the problem has been. This has transcended squads, and only has coach Jeff Kampersal as the common factor. It didn't help that one of the key Tiger scorers, Olivia Mucha, was out with injury. But what, exactly, are the Tigers doing wrong? Is it there fundamental approach that's incorrect? The goalies in the league are good, but when they play Princeton they turn into superstars.

The whole thing is aggravating.