Two Not Unpleasant GIFs of Maybe Baseball’s Best Pitch
At RotoGraphs today — and also during breakfast this morning at a Tempe-area diner — the absurdly coiffed Eno Sarris presented evidence to the effect that, by one definition, that baseball’s best pitch in 2013 was the changeup belonging to right-handed Mets reliever Gonzalez Germen.
“I shall manufacture a GIF of it, then!” I announced during that same breakfast in response to Eno’s comments. “I have manufactured a GIF of it!” I am proclaiming right now, because Truth is the star by which my ship is guided.
The context having been established, then, I present this footage from September 27th of Germen striking out Milwaukee infielder Jeff Bianchi by way of the changeup:
And present this companion GIF, as well, of the same pitch as above, except slower and by way of a straight-on center-field camera:
Carson Cistulli has published a book of aphorisms called Spirited Ejaculations of a New Enthusiast.
Baseball’s best pitch? Witness: http://www.fangraphs.com/not/does-eddie-butlers-changeup-provoke-mystical-experience/
And then remember Butler can hit the upper 90s and with an upper 80s slider. Also, weep.
ALL HAIL THE BUTLER!