“We've tried to put our lineup in a situation where we have somebody behind him. We're just hoping that if they do pitch around him, we can get the job done.”
Gary Wheeler
“We have a set lineup that we use in situations like this, so I made sure all the guys remembered their assignments before we went back out for the overtime.”
Greg Vannelli
“He's a gamer. If you're looking for a guy in the lineup in a crucial situation and you need a base hit, he's your guy.”
Mike Jeffcoat
“It was a situation where you're taking your franchise, marquee name out of your lineup.”
Ray King
“We mixed the lineup to try to protect [Mauer] just a little bit and put somebody behind him they at least have to think about. When he gets an opportunity to swing, he does pretty good.”
Ron Gardenhire
“I was optimistic that the injury would heal, and I was hoping to get back in the lineup. It is disappointing that I won't have a chance to return to the ice this season, but I look forward to coming back next year.”
Mario Lemieux
“Hopefully we're going to get some of our [injured players] back in the lineup soon so we can start to jell.”
Skip Palmer
