REPORT: Twins “Aggressively” Shopping TC Bear As MLB Trade Deadline Approaches
It’s not often that a franchise will explore the idea of trading someone who has been with their organization for 24 seasons, especially when they find themselves in contention. But the Twins are dangling their longtime mascot, TC Bear, and apparently are feeling pressure to make a deal as soon as possible.
Sources close to the situation say that the club is concerned about their mascot’s performance this season, and they feel that the need for a new face is more pressing than any on-field changes. While TC has still shown flashes of above-average mascotry at various points throughout the season, he also had to go through a demotion to the minor leagues after a brutally slow start to his 2024 campaign.
“Look, TC has been a standout member of the Twins organization for years, and nothing is going to take away from that,” said Derek Falvey, as he finished cranking open a massive bear trap near Gate 34, placing a hot dog inside the razor-sharp mouth of the rusted contraption. “But the reality is, he doesn’t have the same hands as he used to, and it has affected his performance. And I’m not talking about his fielding ability. Like, he literally has different hands, and they are very off-puttin
The Twins are hoping this trade deadline will be a bear market–that is, a good market for shopping their bear.
It’s not often that a franchise will explore the idea of trading someone who has been with their organization for 24 seasons, especially when they find themselves in contention. But the Twins are dangling their longtime mascot, TC Bear, and apparently are feeling pressure to make a deal as soon as possible.
Sources close to the situation say that the club is concerned about their mascot’s performance this season, and they feel that the need for a new face is more pressing than any on-field changes. While TC has still shown flashes of above-average mascotry at various points throughout the season, he also had to go through a demotion to the minor leagues after a brutally slow start to his 2024 campaign.
“Look, TC has been a standout member of the Twins organization for years, and nothing is going to take away from that,” said Derek Falvey, as he finished cranking open a massive bear trap near Gate 34, placing a hot dog inside the razor-sharp mouth of the rusted contraption. “But the reality is, he doesn’t have the same hands as he used to, and it has affected his performance. And I’m not talking about his fielding ability. Like, he literally has different hands, and they are very off-putting.”
It should be noted that TC went through bear-bitration for the final time last winter, making this the club’s last chance to get any return via trade. The possibility remains that the team could choose to wait and tender him the qualifying offer over the offseason, but critics will be quick to point out that he hasn’t presented that much value in years.
“I’ve been saying for years that the Twins would be better off without that monster patrolling their beautiful stadium,” said Twins Daily’s mascot evaluator Greggory Masterson, through the steel-corded telephone of his prison visitation room. “TC just isn’t what he used to be. He’s not silly. He sure as hell ain’t willy-nilly. Now he’s just an old bear, and he sickens me.”
TC’s emergence as a trade candidate isn’t shocking, but the urgency with which the club has decided to sell him off has come seemingly out of nowhere. And it came at the surprise of the bear himself.
“So I guess this is how a 24-year partnership circles the drain,” said TC Bear. “Last week, I was telling my [friend] Crunch about how they were going to offer me a long-term deal. Next thing I know, they’re saying my Mascot Savant page is weak, and that they have a problem with my ‘personal hygiene’ – whatever that means.
