I’s send Persichina to Double-A club

By Bill Kiser
Kannapolis Citizen
The Kannapolis Intimidators have seen their roster swell through the first three weeks of the South Atlantic League season as players were called up from extended spring training.
Now the Intimidators have sent their first player of the season up the minor-league ladder, with infielder Joe Persichina getting promoted to Birmingham (Ala.), the Chicago White Sox’s team in the Double A Southern League.
The 23-year-old Persichina was a free-agent signee out of Arizona State in 2007 and spent the summer in Great Falls (Mont.), the White Sox’s team in the rookie-level Pioneer League. There, the Torrance, Calif., native hit .281 in 46 games, with 11 doubles, 16 RBI and five stolen bases.
Persichina was promoted to Kannapolis this season — one of 13 players moving up from Great Falls, which advanced to the Pioneer League’s championship series — and was hitting .254 in 19 games before the callup.
To fill Persichina’s spot on the Intimidators’ roster, the White Sox called up infielder Luis Sierra from extended spring training. A free agent signee in 2007, the 20-year-old Colombia native hit .301 with six home runs and 51 RBIs in the Dominican Summer League.

Who’s hot, who’s not
HOT: Kannapolis outfielder Jose Martinez — Hitting .423 in last nine games, with five RBIs. His current hot streak has lifted Martinez’s batting average from .152 to .277, second-best on the Intimidators’ roster.
NOT: Kannapolis infielder Greg Paimi — With a .197 batting average in 21 games, he’s the best hitter of six Intimidators players currently below the “Mendoza line.”
HOT: Kannapolis first baseman Christian Marrero — Has now hit safely in seven consecutive games, tops by an Intimidators player this season. Marrero is now hitting .244.
NOT: Kannapolis catcher John Curtis — Only hitting .146 in 13 games for the Intimidators, he’s only driven in three runs and hasn’t scored yet this season.
HOT: Kannapolis’ pitching staff — Has been among the best in the South Atlantic League this season, ranking second in hits allowed (174) and strikeouts (205), tied for second in runs allowed (89) and shutouts (three), third in saves (eight), fifth in earned runs (79), and sixth in ERA (3.54).
NOT: Kannapolis’ offense — The Intimidators have given their pitching staff little run support, hitting .221 and scoring just 67 runs in 23 games, both league lows.