“He wanted to prove something to us. He was saying 'You might have given up on us once but I'm going to show you.' We're glad to have him back, and he's going to be a big part of our team. He's an inspiration to our clubhouse chemistry, and I'm big on that.”
“I just told the first-base umpire that he made his call a little too quick. It was a close, bang-bang play, and we all saw that the call was not the right decision. I just told the guy to let the play develop a little bit longer before calling him out or safe.”
“With the talent we have here, that's a real, real good possibility that we're going to end that drought in '97 when the Red Wings won their last championship. I'm the man to do it and I think I can back it up.”
“I've always said that early in the season when it's cold it's important to score first. Pitching and defense are the name of the game, and we had both today.”
“I've got 24 guys and I'm going to play everybody. You don't have to worry about keeping the nine starters happy. They're playing. I want the guys on the bench to always be ready at the beck and call.”
“He's a guy who has gone to the post for me and Stu (Wings pitching coach Stu Cliburn ) many times in the past. He's a bulldog and a great competitor.”
