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Nationals' Harper to Phillies fans: Boo me

Bryce Harper wants to be booed

WASHINGTON -- Bryce Harper, the Washington Nationals rookie who was last seen stealing home after the Phillies' Cole Hamels plunked him with a pitch, seems pretty relaxed about the whole idea of coming to Citizens Bank Park for a three-game series starting Monday.

He also has a message for Philadelphia fans:

Boo me.

"Hopefully, I get a couple of boos," Harper said Sunday, after the Nats' 9-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles. "That would be awesome. I'm excited to get in there and play and hopefully they won't throw any batteries or whatnot at me. We'll see."

The story has been often-told in the last couple of weeks. Hamels hit Harper and admitted after the game that he did it in on purpose, suggesting it was some kind of initiation into the old school baseball fraternity. Harper rounded the bases and stole home after the incident. The Nats retaliated and hit Hamels later in the game. For his honesty, Hamels was suspended for five games.

Now, the teams meet again -- this time in Philadelphia -- and the 19-year-old Harper says he isn't worried about any sideshow.

"I don't really care," he said. "It's just trying to go in there and get some W's. They've got a great pitching staff, we've got a great pitching staff, it's going to be a fun 3 days down there in Philly. I'm excited to get going."