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Roger Mooney

Roger Mooney covers the Tampa Bay Rays for The Tampa Tribune, TBO.com and News Channel 8. He has covered the Rays since their first season in 1998, including 11 years for the Bradenton Herald. Roger has also covered Florida, South Florida and Florida State football, the Bucs and the Lightning.

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The Zim Bear: Cute or yikes?

Posted Feb 22, 2012 by Roger Mooney

Updated Feb 22, 2012 at 01:58 PM

ROGER MOONEY
PORT CHARLOTTE Don Zimmer took a look at the picture of the Zim Bear and had little to say, mainly because he was speechless.

“There it is. What can I say?” he said.

The teddy bear with Zim’s face – one of the more unique items on the Rays 2012 promotional schedule – will be given away June 29 to the first 10,000 fans who attend the Rays-Tigers game at the Trop.

“Wait ‘til the kids see this,” Zimmer said. “You know who’d get a kick out of this? Joe Torre would get a kick out of this.”

Moments earlier, Joe Maddon saw a picture of the Zim Bear and had this to say: “It’s very complimentary. It’s Zim. It’s cuddly. It’s warm. It’s cute. It’s something you definitely don’t want to take to bed with you. I don’t want my 2-year-old putting that in the crib. That could be life-altering right there. I think it’s more appropriate on a grownup’s desk than in the crib.”