Familiar face rejoins Intimidators

By Bill Kiser
Kannapolis Citizen
One of the Kannapolis Intimidators’ best offensive players last season has rejoined the club, as another I’s player received his callup orders.
Infielder Sergio Miranda was reassigned to Kannapolis on May 20 from Winston-Salem, the Chicago White Sox’s Advanced-A Carolina League team.
Miranda takes the place of infielder Greg Paiml, who was called up to the Warthogs the same day, and was the second player added to Kannapolis’ roster last week.
Also joining the Intimidators was outfielder Lyndon Estill, who was called up from the White Sox’s extended spring training program.
Miranda, a 13th-round pick by the ChiSox in the 2007 draft, was quickly promoted to Kannapolis after appearing in just seven games at Great Falls (Mont.) of the rookie-level Pioneer League.
The Richmond, Va., native went on to play in 61 games with the Intimidators, batting .282 with 45 runs scored, 30 RBI, nine doubles, two triples and one home run.
That earned Miranda Baseball America’s award for having what the weekly magazine called “the best pro debut” in the White Sox’s 2007 draft class, and a move up to Winston-Salem at the start of the 2008 season.
However, Miranda struggled with the Warthogs, batting just .156 in 27 games, leading to his demotion to Kannapolis. He has flourished since the send-down, batting .286 in seven games, with a .423 on-base percentage.
Paiml, also a shortstop, was hitting .211 in 37 games with the Intimidators, with nine runs scored, five RBI, four doubles and a triple.
The Tuscaloosa, Ala., native — a 15th-round pick by the White Sox in the 2007 draft — made his pro debut with Great Falls last year, hitting .310 in 67 games, with 36 runs scored, 34 RBI, 17 doubles, three triples and three home runs.
Paiml was named the White Sox’s best defensive player from the 2007 draft class by Baseball America, and opened the 2008 season on Kannapolis’ roster.
Estill, an eighth-round pick by the White Sox in the 2007 draft, hit .247 in 54 games with Great Falls last season, with 34 runs scored, 38 RBI, eight doubles, seven triples (tying for second in the Pioneer League), and seven home runs.
Baseball America named the Longview, Wash., native the best power hitter, best athlete and fastest baserunner in Chicago’s 2007 draft class. Since his promotion to Kannapolis, Estill has hit .300 in five games.