FRANCHISE NOTES

     The BOSTON GLOBE's Peter Gammons writes that there are
reports the finances for the Pirates are "so precarious" that the
league may have to step in and run the team (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/22).
Pirates Owner Kevin McClatchy was the keynote speaker at a city
business leadership conference and made the following comment on
rumors he will move the team, "I'm not moving this franchise,
period" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 9/21)....Mariners Manager Lou
Piniella, asked what "sales pitch" he will use on Mariners
ownership in regard to spending more money on the team: "I don't
think they need to be sold.  They've seen that this community
supports baseball.  These fans are hungry -- feed them" (Tacoma
NEWS TRIBUNE, 9/23). ...The Orioles set a franchise attendance
mark yesterday "shattering" the previous record they set in '93.
Their regular season total this year of 3,646,950 beat the '93
record of 3,644,965 (Baltimore SUN, 9/24).