Climate change causes too many baseball homers, say stupid scientists
OPINION:
Researchers with Dartmouth College found that 500-plus homers hit by Major League players since 2010 came on account of warmer, thinner air — and that, they concluded, was due to climate change. Moreover, they — prophesied? Cautioned? Warned? — that more climate-tied homers are coming, to the tune of 10% of all hit by the year 2100, if citizens of the world, and particularly citizens of the United States, don’t take immediate, dramatic, drastic steps to stop producing, err, that is, stop emitting harmful gases into the atmosphere.
Scientists can be so stupid.
That’s the takeaway here.
First off, since when are more homers cause for concern at all? Fans generally like the excitement, and throughout the years, MLB powers have purposely changed the design and material of the baseball to allow for various hitting patterns to emerge — namely, more home runs. These “juiced” balls, as they’re called, have been for years the subject of serious baseball fan and player debate. Pitchers hate them; batters don’t mind; fans fall on both sides. But to blame the booming hit on climate change? That’s a new one.
Talk about opportunistic.
What a lucky stroke for those seeking to cash in on climate alarmism.
But it leads to the second point, summed in this CBS Sports headline from May 2022: “MLB home runs are way down so far in 2022.”
Hmm. Did you catch that oddity? One might even call it an inconvenient truth.
But wait, there’s more to mull.
Curiously, 2022 is the same year of headlines like this, from Carbon Brief, in January of 2023: “State of the climate: How the world warmed in 2022.” That story went on to report that temperatures of land, sea and air across the world were up, up, up, and that predictions for 2023 are more of the same — hot, hotter, even hottest in some parts of the world. And then this: “If an El Nino event develops in late 2023, however, it will make it likely that 2024 will set a new record.”
My stars.
Move over, Mickey Mantle. Babe Ruths abound.
At this rate, there won’t be a market for the steroid dealers.
Still, one has to wonder: If 2022 was such a banner year for hotness and consequently, thin air, why weren’t MLB hitters whacking away at the homers?
Once again, climate change science falters in the face of facts. Once more, climate alarmism crumbles to common sense. After all, anyone who plays, watches or knows sports knows that weather is always a factor in whatever sport is being played. Athletes adjust. Athletes overcome. It’s simply part of the competition. What’s next, alleging too many fly ball catches come from climate conditions that produce too much shade?
Too many hockey goals because the ice, due to climate, is too hard and the puck flies too fast?
Too many points on the board because the air in the basketball court is too conducive to breakaway runs and fast scoring?
Too stupid.
Climate alarmists will use whatever tools they can to advance their propaganda and political ambitions. Yesterday’s “plight of the polar bear” has turned to today’s baseballs. Even America’s past-time isn’t safe from the far left.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter and podcast by clicking HERE. Her latest book, “Lockdown: The Socialist Plan To Take Away Your Freedom,” is available by clicking HERE or clicking HERE or CLICKING HERE.
