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It was 2013, and it was the heyday of internet GIFfing. (This is how every good story begins.) It was back in the day when folks were still arguing whether it was meant to be pronounced gif with a hard 'g,' or jif with a sort of mutated 'j.' Now we all roll our eyes and ignore anybody trying to reignite that lame feud, and I suppose thank god for that. But that was a very long time ago, and GIFs survived those dark early years, because look around... in a twist that can only be described as astonishing, people are still using GIFs today.
When I first joined the Pinstripe Alley staff it was, in fact, as a GIF creator. I liked using GIFs and I liked making them too. Buried now, in the archives of this site, are my many GIF posts. You can go back and find a treasure trove of nonsense involving Alex Rodriguez, and children being driven to tears by Joba Chamberlain, and recaps of World Series games in GIF form. But actually digging those up requires motivation, and as a chronically unmotivated person myself (I realized this after a two-second bout of reflection while happening to stare at a stucco wall), it's my crackpot thesis that motivation no longer exists and that this is, indeed, where the tragedy of modern life lies.
So to save you the trouble of clicking through a website, here are my favorite twenty reaction GIFs from back in the day. I hope you they make you smile and, I have to say, it would absolutely (and I say this very much sincerely) warm my heart if you were to use them on this site or elsewhere. Enjoy.
P.S. The "gif"/"jif" debate is dumb, but in thirty-seven days I will attempt to ignite a row in which people argue whether it should be spelled "GIF," in all caps, or ".gif," as in the file extension. Will let you know how it goes.
Category A: The Alex Rodriguez sessions
Cackling Ardo
Original post here; original text:
"Alex, terrorists have now weaponized the Ebola virus. Your thoughts?"
"Alex, in order to pay your salary the Steinbrenners have had to withdraw all contributions the team would have made to charity. Your thoughts?"
A-Rod Adds His Two Cents
Original post here. From the 2009 World Series, Game 2. Forever in my heart, for one reason and one reason alone:
GO BALL
Gunslinger A-Rod
Original post here. From the 2009 World Series, Game 2. For when A-Rod's on fire.
Disturbed A-Rod
Appalled A-Rod
Original post here. A great A-Rod reaction from one of his finest moments, the 2004 ALCS glove slap.
Category B: Good things are happening here
WELL DONE, YOU
Original post here. From the 2009 World Series, Game 2.
Veteran Celebrations
Original post here; original text:
Rookies look up to veterans. Baseball has an unwritten code that defines how one should behave—no showing up other players, no publicly criticizing your own teammates, and all that other ridiculum—and it has to be followed, lest you find baseballs being aimed at your head. It’s important, then, that the older generation in the clubhouse show the young bucks—kids like John Ryan Murphy and Austin Romine—how to act and how to react. Consider Andrew Eugene Pettitte, a man of some age, demonstrating responsible yet vigorous celebration.
Category C: Bad things are happening here
Mr. Cone, Why Is It That You Yourself Do Not Have Your Own Jig?
Original post here. From that David Cone ad.
Facepalm 1
Original post here. From the 2009 World Series, Game 1. This is the broadcast footage; the next one is this GIF reversed, and I like it better that way.
Facepalm 2
Original post here. Utter, utter despair. Original text:
Just end it, world. JUST END IT.
Category D: Moments in coaching
Joe Torre Would Like You to Leave
Go.
Skeptical Joe
Joe Girardi Fields Your Tactical Advice
Original post here. These were among the earliest GIFs I made; one of them in particular is popular, but I always thought the full range was good. They all represent different levels of trolling.
First, "This logical approach to managing which you're suggesting is hilarious":
Next, "I'm losing it at your logics right now":
Then, "Why would you even think I would consider being logical?":
And finally, "Trololololol":
Weird Joe
Original post here. From David Cone's perfect game. Before Joe Girardi made strategic decisions by binder, he made decisions by reading what he thought were hidden meanings in the patterns of his spit on the dugout floor.
Category E: Death stares
Teixeira Death Stare
Original post here. From the 2009 World Series, Game 2.
Cone Stare Down 1
Original post here. From David Cone's perfect game. Basically, David Cone is amazing. He's going to hook us up with two spectacular stare downs here – this one is plus-plus, but the next one is even better.
Cone Stare Down 2
Original post here. Of the GIFs I've produced, this is my favorite.
Category X: Bonus randomness
Saddle Up
Original post here. I have zero idea where this came from, but there you go. It was, shall we say, from a fever dream.
Consider Yourselves Judged
Original post here (part of the Joe Tacopina onslaught). Save this for when Aaron Judge homers.