I have good news! If you like GIFs that is. And if you don’t, you’ve almost certainly come to the wrong place.
The lovely guys over at MLB UK have taken mercy on my GIF-hunting efforts and provided me with a link to a searchable and downloadable GIF database (it’s as awesome as it sounds).
Not only does this save me a ton of time and effort (which is the main thing) but it also means the GIFs have much higher production value and amazing quality.
Rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into the GIF meat-grinder aside, let’s get on with the content!
5. Josh Harrison shows off his moves
Harrison has made something of a name for himself in recent years for his ability to escape run-downs and other baserunning pickles with crafty slides and evasive tactics and he showcases that ability here.
The slide looks remarkably uncomfortable and I am almost certain I would pull muscles I didn’t even know I had if I attempted it, but once again it gets Harrison a base he had no right to.
4. Jose Bautista starts another fight
Much like poutine, you either love Bautista or you hate him, and if you belong to the former group you’re almost certainly Canadian.
During the week when butt-hurt Rangers fans celebrated the one year anniversary of Joey Bats getting conked on the schnoz by Rougned Odor, Bautista did his best to instigate another baseball war by bat-flipping the living shit out of a solo home run in the eighth inning of a game his team was losing 8-3.
The circumstances weren’t quite as dramatic as his previously celebrated lumber-toss which may explain why he was yelled at rounding the bases and plunked 24 hours later by an inexplicably upset Julio Teheran, but the flip was still a thing of beauty.
3. Aaron Judge makes the catch of the season
Okay so this may not be the actual catch of the season. But it’s still a tremendously impressive feat of athleticism from a man who is six feet, seven inches tall.
I’ve not met many six feet, seven inches tall people in my life, but those I have met have tended to move with all the grace and co-ordination of a newborn giraffe so whilst Judge’s catch may not be the most spectacular grab of the season, it’s still very much highlight worthy.
2. Well now, this GIF doesn’t make much sense at all
On Thursday, Kenley Jansen became the 79th pitcher of all time – albeit the third in a matter of days – to throw an immaculate inning, striking out three hapless Marlins on nine pitches after picking up just his second major league hit the inning before. He was, apparently, unaware.
Kenley Jansen had no clue what an #ImmaculateInning was before we told him. Showed him he’s one of 79 in MLB history to do it. #Dodgers
— Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) May 19, 2017
So far this season, Kenley Jansen has not walked a batter, he has struck out almost 17 hitters per 9 innings and he has a FIP of 0.03.
The above GIF shows the Netherlands 2009 WBC catcher, Kenley Jansen, throwing out Ryan Braun from his knee and celebrating with an adorable finger wag.
Baseball can be pretty weird sometimes.
1. Nolan Arenado is not here to make friends
It feels strange to say that a player who has won four gold gloves in his first four seasons might be underrated defensively yet here we are.
So consistent is his ability to make the impossible look routine that it can be easy to overlook his greatness at the hot corner, but every now and then he makes a couple of plays look hard to remind us.
Consider yourself warned: Nolan Arenado is still outrageously good.