NORTHERN VIRGINIA MINORITY INVESTOR MAKES BID FOR PIRATES

     Homestead Baseball, a group of African-American investors
headed by Herndon, VA, venture capitalist Robert Johnson, has
made a $100M bid to buy the Pirates, according to this morning's
WASHINGTON TIMES.  Johnson and Homestead Baseball are also the
majority investors in Capital Baseball, one of two Northern VA
groups under consideration for an expansion franchise.  Johnson
said Homestead Baseball is still "involved and committed" in
Capital Baseball's expansion effort, but that Capital is not part
of the group trying to buy the Pirates.  Johnson: "Our
relationship with Capital Baseball is for expansion only.
Homestead Baseball is an independent entity and always has been"
(Thom Loverro, WASHINGTON TIMES, 3/6).  In Pittsburgh, Suzanne
Elliott reports that city officials "have dismissed" the VA
group's interest in the Pirates (PITTSBURGH BUSINESS TIMES, 3/5).