Jim,
Actually, the cutoff man is an IR absorbing molecule. The atmosphere is the air/path of the ball from CF to home plate. The balls are horse hide covered IR photons. And yes the CF is going to get warmer, trying to keep up, in the drill where the cutoff man is throwing balls back at him. Now can you explain the part about the cutoff man cooling the atmosphere by throwing about half the balls back to CF, instead of letting them go directly to homeplate/space.