There are doomsday cult hot takes, and then there are Hot Takes. Seriously, someone wrote this, and decided to make it about climate doom
Phillies and Braves are experiencing climate change firsthand, and it may affect their play
Such a radical change in air masses, said one expert, is more than just a matter of comfort for the players: It can be hazardous.
The Phillies and the Atlanta Braves reputedly are among the elite teams of major-league baseball, but if the quality of play at Citizens Bank Park during their season-opening series doesn’t quite measure up to expectations, go gentle on the booing.
These players are experiencing a form of abrupt climate change, says Struan Coleman, a sports medicine specialist who practices in New York and Philly.
When the Phillies left Clearwater, Fla., after their final spring training game Monday, the high was 83 degrees, and daily highs since the team began playing their practice games in Florida on Feb. 25 have averaged about 80.
When the Braves ended their exhibition season Tuesday, the high was 86 in North Port, Fla., home of CoolToday Park (seriously, that’s what it’s called), their spring training home.
Perhaps more significant is that the air masses in both Clearwater and North Port have been considerably steamier at times the last several weeks than around here, at levels we more commonly associate with summer heat.
Wait, it’s warm and steamy in *checks map* Florida? The hell you say!
By contrast, when the teams take the field Thursday — or Friday, if the Thursday weather is balky — the air temperatures will be between 50 and 55, with air holding about 40% less moisture.
Philly is a thousand miles north of Clearwater. Of course they are different climates, and, really, the rest of the article is legit in terms of the issues with playing in different climates and the issues that can cause to muscles, bones, tendons, and with hydration. But, to try and mention ‘climate change’ is just nuts. Is there some sort of requirement at the paper to mention climate doom a certain number of times in each writer’s articles monthly? It was simply unnecessary.
I visited Daytona Beach for my Grandparents 50th anniversary in February, 1976. Temperatures were over 80 every day. The day we went to Disney World it was almost 90.
I am on the deck of my boat in the Gulf of Mexico right now outside Tampa FL and it’s 80° on the water. And quite comfortable I might add. Of course my girls and I are drinking margaritas which tends to cool you off.
Latitude. They experienced latitude change. Nothin’ remains quite the same…
Changes in latitude, changes in attitude!
Nothing remains quite the same…
I note that nowhere in the referenced article does it claim this is some kind of record. Now why might that be…?
And here I thought that baseball teams did spring training in Florida and Arizona precisely because the climate there was different.
that damned tilt of the earths axis. cant we do something about that?