Newton Kansan
WICHITA —
The Wichita Wingnuts placed outfielder Dustan Mohr on the seven-day disabled list, released pitcher Kevin Foeman and signed outfielder Bub Bergstrom and pitcher Asher Demme.
Mohr is having precautionary thyroid surgery. He also strained a calf last week against Fort Worth.Bergstrom started the season with the Harlingen (Texas) Whitewings of the United League, hitting .266 in 44 games with 31 walks. He has a lifetime on-base percentage of .406. He led the UL in walks with 82 and was second in stolen bases with 37.Demme was a sixth-round pick in the Major League draft in 2003 with Atlanta. He sat out the 2007 season. Demme last played in 2006 with the Rome Braves of the South Atlantic League. He holds a lifetime ERA of 4.90 with 163.2 innings pitched and 108 strikeouts.Wichita is off during the American Association All-Star break, returning to play at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday at St. Paul.Thunder signs firstnew player of seasonWICHITA — The Wichita Thunder signed its first new player of the season, the second overall.Wichita signed center Matt Byrnes, a second-year pro from Lincoln, R.I., who played last season with the Wheeling (W.Va.) Wheelers of the ECHL. Byrnes scored four goals with nine assists in 27 games.“Matt is a hard-working player who takes the body and skates very well,” Thunder head coach Brent Bilodeau said. “He is a great community guy who will also be a great leader in the locker room.”Byrnes played for Marrimack College, where he scored 42 points in four seasons. He won the team’s Francis J. Miller Unsung Hero Award.Flint Hills Gobblersto host banquetPRATT — The Flint Hills Gobblers Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation will hold its 13th annual Hunting Heritage Banquet and Superfund Auction Saturday at American Legion Post No. 5 in Emporia.Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with the dinner starting at 7 p.m. For ticket information, call Tim and Shelley Sparks at (620) 342-3839, Yvonne Gardner at (620) 342-4194, Vance Ralstin at (620) 366-0208, or Gib Rhodes at (620) 437-2012.
