It's like the Tampa Bay Rays want us to treat them like a minor-league team. From the catwalk-laden "stadium" to their new kitty mascot, they seem to constantly be doing things that make us say, "hey, you're not a real team." Zim Bear is one of those things.

A cross between a teddy bear and bench coach Don Zimmer, Zim Bear will be given away to lucky Rays fans on June 29 before a game against the Detroit Tigers. Good luck to any kid trying to sleep with that thing in their room. You just know it's going to wake them up in the wee hours to tell stories about a young Joe DiMaggio.

Congratulations to Zimmer for staying in baseball long enough to be subjected to an inner-species breeding attempt and the Rays for once again challenging long-held beliefs about what it takes to be a professional sports franchise.

[H/T: Big League Stew]