Sunday baseball

Raptors, Owlz begin play

On Monday two more Utah professional baseball teams open their season as the Ogden Raptors and the Orem Owlz both begin the season on the road.

The Raptors, who are in their 17th year, start with a three-game series at the Casper Ghosts. The Owlz, winners of four titles (including last season), open at the Idaho Falls Chukers. The two renew their rivalry in Ogden on Thursday.

Roadrunners looking for fans

After expressing some frustration with his team's low attendance — the team averages a Golden Baseball League-low of 1,219 — St. George Roadrunners owner Will Joyce hired John Olsen to head up hospitality industry sales and marketing. In other words, Joyce is hoping to capitalize on the St. George area's 3 million visitors to boost ticket sales.

The 8-15 team starts a nine-game homestand on Tuesday against Tucson, Edmonton and Maui.

—Aaron Morton

Tough times

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates know all about bad times after failing to field a winning team since 1992, but few weeks in their history have been as bad or bizarre as this one.

Just when it seemed it couldn't get any worse for a franchise that is setting itself up for a record-extending 18th consecutive losing season, it did.

Hours after GM Neal Huntington adamantly insisted top prospect Pedro Alvarez wasn't ready for the majors, someone in the organization ordered him called up. Alvarez went hitless in his first 10 at-bats as the Pirates ran one of their longest losing streaks in a half-century to 13 games.

Team president Frank Coonelly was forced to reveal that the contracts of Huntington and manager John Russell were secretly extended during the offseason. The team never disclosed the deals because it apparently feared fan backlash.

And for an odd twist, the Pirates fired one of their racing pierogi mascots because he criticized the extensions on his Facebook page.

What a week. What a team.

During spring training, Coonelly said he felt the Pirates — despite averaging nearly 96 losses for five seasons — were on the verge of becoming a dynasty because of their young talent. A week like this one makes them look more dysfunctional than dynamic.