WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES AS PIRATES WILL SELL TO RIGAS

      Pirates ownership made a "startling about face" yesterday
and will try to sell the Pirates to Adelphia Communications Chair
John Rigas by early May.  Reports as late as yesterday had team
ownership contemplating taking the team off the market after
Rigas refused to increase his $85.15M bid for the team.  But
yesterday Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy "changed the owners' mind"
by promising an additional $7-8M in city-backed funding.  Team
owners also found out at their quarterly meeting yesterday that
the team "is nearly out of money and another loan backed
personally by the owners was needed" to keep the team in
business.  Pirates Chair Vincent Sarni: "We're very optimistic
for an agreement within a week to 10 days" (WASHINGTON POST,
4/27).