Harper hoping for cheers, prepared for boos in return to D.C.

Sometime around 6:55 p.m. tonight, just before the announcement of the Phillies' starting lineup, the Nationals will play a brief video tribute to Bryce Harper. Roughly 13-15 minutes after that, Harper will step to the plate to face Max Scherzer for the first time.

And what does the former National expect the ovation to be like for all this?

"I hope I get a great one," he said. "Of course, I think there'll be some boos and things like that. It's part of the game. I think there'll be some cheers as well. I'll always remember the memories we had here, the excitement, and all the screams and cheers. I'll always remember that."

In his first day as a visiting player at Nationals Park, Harper tried to convey a sense of normalcy. And yet he knows this is going to be anything but normal.

After spending his off-day in the District visiting a couple of his favorite local restaurants (The Italian Store for lunch, Acqua Al 2 for dinner) with his now-pregnant wife, Kayla, Harper woke up in a hotel room this morning and killed some time before heading over to South Capitol Street.

He entered the park and instead of walking straight into the home clubhouse, turned left and walked down the corridor that includes framed photos of nearly 100 players and managers - famous and not-so-famous - who have worn the curly W cap over the last 14 years, including one of himself. He entered the visitors' clubhouse and prepared for the first of 19 games the Phillies will play against the Nationals this season, the first of 247 they'll play against the Nationals before Harper's contract expires.

"It's definitely going to be different," he said inside a packed press conference room four hours before first pitch. "Stepping into the batter's box at Nats Park, walking up from the other side of the dugout, definitely going to be different. But like I said, I'm excited for this new chapter, and I look forward to what it's going to be like tonight."

When Harper takes his position in right field in the bottom of the first, he knows he'll be greeted by a sizeable contingent of Phillies fans who gobbled up tickets in bulk.

"I'm excited about that," he said. "Just goes to show how great Philly fans are."

But Harper's primary task tonight will be to block out the crowd and the extra hoopla surrounding this game and focus on the real challenge: Beating Scherzer and the Nationals in a division game that matters just as much as the September meetings between these two rivals.

Harper has batted against Scherzer only once before, in a live batting practice session in spring training. This won't bear any resemblance to that.

"He's a great pitcher. He's a great performer. Cy Young. One of the best in baseball," Harper said. "You always want to go up against the best. So I'm looking forward to it. But I guess I'm not looking forward to it, too, because he is one of the best."

And will the two combatants make any eye contact as they prepare for battle?

"I'm not going to try to look at any of his eyes," Harper quipped.

And then they'll be off and running and the game will take over. Someone will win. Someone will lose. Some will cheer. Some will boo.

And then they'll do it all over again Wednesday afternoon. And then next week in Philadelphia. And then more times later this season. And then a bunch of times over the next 13 seasons.

Harper admitted as weird as the feeling was today and will be tonight, eventually the weirdness will wear off and this will become the new normal. He's going to be a Phillie for a long time, and he's going to be competing against the Nationals for a long time.

But that doesn't mean he'll forget his seven seasons in D.C. or lose the friendships and memories he built here during that time.

"It's where I grew up," he said. "It's where I was. I don't want it to be any different. I don't want it to feel like it's weird or crazy walking in there. But it's definitely going to be like (that). ... I want to understand and know the good times I've had here, and remember those good times. And I think fans will as well. I hope they can."