Cleaning out the notebook ...

... prior to the Wild Things' game Sunday against Evansville. This is what I've found:

* Pitcher Justin Staatz, who was released Tuesday by Washington, has signed with the Gateway Grizzlies.

* The East is taking a beating in interdivision play. After an 0-4 Saturday, the East is 2-16 over the last four days. Washington has the only wins. As I write this, Sunday is off to a bad start for the East. Slippery Rock was a 13-3 loser earlier in the day at Southern Illinois.

* I had never heard of a player having thoracic outlet syndrome until Pirates pitcher Kip Wells was sidelined for part of last season with the ailment that restricts bloodflow to the neck, shoulder and arm. Now it seems to be the new-age injury for baseball players. Washington pitcher Patrick Stanley is out for the season with TOS. Last Month, Texas Rangers third baseman Hank Blalock was diagnosed with TOS.

* The Kalamazoo bullpen prevented former W&J pitcher Sam Mann from getting his second win of the year. Mann pitched seven innings at Gateway on Friday and left with a 7-4 lead. Gateway, however, scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth for an 8-7 win.

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