Bryce Harper blows a kiss at pitcher

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Bryce Harper's first year of professional baseball has had its share of highs and lows -- sometimes on the same play.

The Washington Nationals outfield prospect had another of those moments on Monday night, blowing a kiss to the opposing pitcher after hitting a home run in Hagerstown's 3-2 loss to Greensboro in the Class A South Atlantic League.

With the game scoreless in the sixth inning, Harper hit a home run to right-center field and took a few seconds to admire his handiwork from the batters' box before slowly tossing his bat aside and heading to first.

Greensboro pitcher Zachary Neal apparently didn't care for Harper's display and let Harper know how he felt as he rounded the bases, according to media reports. Harper replied by puckering up in Neal's direction as he reached home plate.

The incident was treated as a learning experience for Harper and his teammates and was handled within the team, a Nationals source told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.

"This was taken as a teaching moment for Bryce Harper and this entire Hagerstown club," the source said. "Twenty-five to 30 guys learn a group lesson as to the right way to play this game. So, the matter was talked about internally and is now considered closed."

On ESPN's "SportsCenter," Baseball Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt -- who hit 548 career homers -- advised Harper to "tone it down and play the game."

"I would say Bryce, if you're going to hit a lot of 'em ... you'd better learn not to show up the pitcher because it's just going to get tougher and tougher on you if you watch your home runs," Schmidt said. "Just hit your home runs and hit 'em like you're used to hitting 'em, not like you're surprised when you hit one."

Asked what would happen if Harper had behaved in similar fashion in the majors, Schmidt said the benches would have likely cleared.

"I hate to bring this into it, but I would think at some point the game itself, the competition on the field, is going to have to figure out a way to police this young man," Schmidt said. "If indeed his manager won't, the game will end up taking care of it."

The kid is going to get drilled in the head if he doesn't cut that **** out. :pity: