This Week In GIFs Results: 'Barry Zito' Floats To Victory

Week 15 of THIS WEEK IN GIFs may have featured the best field of animated sports GIFs we've seen yet. For the first time, every GIF in the competition received at least 100 votes. But in the end, the winner, receiving 21 percent of the overall vote, was ...

... BARRY ZITO.

I really dig this one. I always look for an extra dimension, and I get it here in the form of a resigned Carlos Quentin shuffling out of the frame. Also, Zito's belly-out posture. Also, the ball went like four feet. So much to love here. Here's what some of y'all had to say:

Unmentioned is American Hero Buster Posey's reaction. Even he, brilliant mind that he possesses, pauses as if to ponder "well hell, y'all, what am ah supposed to go tell a feller after somethin' like that?"

- Valued Internet subscriber troymccluresf

It took me like 5 loops before I realized
Zito's pitch landed in front of the plate. That cloinched it for me.Watch Zito. Wait until the end of his follow through.

- Valued Internet subscriber ScottyRayJ

There's a sublime moment where he may believe that has thrown a pitch, BUT as he raises his head and looks to home plate, nothing about the scene there has changed - a batter poised to swing, the waiting catcher's mitt, and a (presumably) focused umpire. But no ball.

For that one second, he had to ask himself just what the hell happened. Did I slip into some sort of portal between time and space? Did my pitch alter the rotation of the Earth?

Even better, as he realized what actually happened, it is he who becomes the frozen one, perhaps hoping his lack of movement will render him invisible.

- Valued Internet subscriber thehakujin

I just went through and watched the reactions of each fan watching that EEPHUSFAIL. That makes it win for me. My favorite: kid in the front row, 3rd from the left. At first, it appears his jaw is dropping open, like many others. Then you see he's just eating nachos. There's also the guy on the far left not listening to his wife. The two girls chatting it up, one turns to witness the pitch and freezes, the other doesn't notice. A few make "Well, whaddaya want exactly, it's Barry Zito" faces. Not quite YankeeDouche quality, but solid.

- Valued Internet subscriber lucierrc

Thanks for your votes and comments, friends. Stay tuned for Week 16 of THIS WEEK IN GIFs.