People and Pop Culture
The Market
A measured look at this week’s holdings
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Robot umps now
Calls for the use of an automated strike zone grew louder during MLB’s postseason, and commissioner Rob Manfred — who had already signed off on the use of such technology in independent leagues — admitted after the World Series that the game is headed in that direction.
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Rough road
Organizers of the Amgen Tour of California cycling race said the event will not be held in 2020. It is the only U.S.-based event that is part of the UCI WorldTour calendar for both men’s and women’s races, but its declining economic fortunes is a sign of the struggles competitive cycling has as a business in the U.S.
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Big Bucs
The Pittsburgh Pirates made a home-run hire in new team president Travis Williams, the former COO of the Pittsburgh Penguins who helped the organization win three Stanley Cup titles. But while owner Bob Nutting signaled that he would consider a new approach to spending money, he did not offer specifics, and the road to the Pirates’ first World Series title since 1979 is still a long one.
