SPEROS JOINS NORTHERN VIRGINIA GROUP SCOUTING FOR A TEAM

     Baltimore's CFL owner Jim Speros joined an investment group
trying to bring a baseball franchise to Northern Virginia.  But
organizers still face "uncertainty over when and if baseball will
expand and the possible opposition of the Orioles."  The group,
seeking a team through expansion or relocation, is one of nine
groups that submitted expansion plans to MLB.  William Collins,
Chair of Virginia Baseball Club Inc., believes the current group
has the "market and resources" missing from previous bids in the
DC area.  His group of 25 investors has a net worth of $350M and
has pledged $98M to the effort.  They are currently exploring
five sites in the Northern VA area to build a baseball-only
stadium -- all approximately 60 miles from Baltimore.  Orioles
Owner Peter Angelos would not say if he would fight such a move,
but he expressed confidence in the loyatly of Orioles fans:  "Is
it something that worries me?  The answer is no" (Jon Morgan,
Baltimore SUN, 9/27).