‘Rally Bear’ or not, should the Dodgers have a mascot?

It was one of those moments when you shove an elbow into the ribs of the guy sitting next to you and say, “Hey, didja see that?”

In the eighth inning of Monday’s game at Dodger Stadium, a guy in a bear costume jumped on top of the visiting dugout, goofily leading a couple cheers before security guards led him away.

“It was pretty funny,” Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis said. “It was entertaining. It added some levity to the intensity of the game.”

Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, like much of the crowd, never saw the so-called “Rally Bear.”

“I heard good reviews,” Kershaw said.

First things first: The Dodgers banned the guy from Dodger Stadium for six months, and that makes sense. The stunt was amusing, but you cannot allow fans to hop on top of the dugout or parade around the ballpark in masked costumes.

“We never want to encourage fans to do things like that,” Dodgers President Stan Kasten said. “We want them to enjoy the way the game is presented. We work hard at our game presentation. We hope everyone enjoys it.”

Kasten said he is always open to suggestions from fans, so we’ll throw this open for your comments: Should the Dodgers have a mascot?

The Dodgers, Angels, Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees are the only major league teams without a mascot, according to Tyler Kepner of the New York Times. The Angels’ rally monkey appears on the video board, but never stuffed on the field.

The St. Louis Cardinals have a mascot, so a distinguished legacy would not preclude a franchise from being represented by a stuffed animal.

“I think it’s all about having fun for the kids,” said Dodgers utility man Skip Schumaker, who played the previous eight seasons in St. Louis.

“Who doesn’t like a mascot? It would be great for any team.”

The Dodgers have no plans to introduce a mascot to Dodger Stadium. They are focused for now on video productions that can be used to energize the crowd, including digitized bobblehead dolls that encourage fans to get up and make noise. However, the Dodgers also have considered whether they ought to try a mascot outside Dodger Stadium -- at schools, hospitals, community events and the like -- and gauge the reaction.

So tell us in the comments below. Should the Dodgers have a mascot and, if so, what kind?