Washington residents are on edge today.

It’s not because their city is filled with scumbag politicians, it’s because Bryce Harper returns to the nation’s capital wearing a Phillies uniform.

Peter Hailey at NBC Sports Washington wants Nat fans remain at home if they’re not going to boo Harper:

Are you a Nats fan who’s thinking of clapping or tipping your cap or simply doing nothing when Philadelphia’s No. 3 steps into the batter’s box? Great — give your ticket to someone else who’ll do the right thing.

You’re not being “classy” by not booing. Instead, you’re wasting a prime opportunity to come together as a single fan base against someone who should be a villain until 2031.

Hold up –

Let’s do a juxtaposition here, a role-reversal, if you will.

Imagine if somebody in Philadelphia wrote that. Imagine if one of us suggested that Phillies fans stay at home unless they were going to boo the everliving shit out of a guy who signed with a division rival in free agency. Wouldn’t we be getting cooked by national media? Wouldn’t they suggest that we’re boorish and uncouth, like the 30 morons who traveled to New York City back in the day to express their displeasure with the drafting of Donovan McNabb?

Think about it. They would be all over us.

Hailey, however, does redeem himself a bit by mentioning that Washington’s front office “lagged behind” in their half-assed efforts to resign Harper, after the jump:

Yes, this situation was two-sided, as Washington’s front office lagged behind the offer Harper eventually settled on with Philly. Everyone loves money, and he’s no different.

Yet that’s stuff to worry about and debate on later. He only returns for the first time once, and that initial return comes Tuesday night against Max Scherzer.

There’s no such thing as the high road for this matchup. There are no fences to sit on.

Ultimately, Bryce Harper didn’t produce anything truly memorable while with the Nationals. The least you can do is give him a reception to remember now that he’s with the Phillies.

Listen, I get it.

If Ben Simmons shunned Philly to go to Los Angeles, there would certainly be a faction of people who would be annoyed by that and give him a less-than-warm welcome in his return to town. I don’t think that’s unwarranted, nor do I think Nats fans would be unjustified to jeer Harper.

But if Washington fans want to really boo something, boo your own front office. Boo them for making their first offer to Harper via envelope. Boo them for not putting in the same amount of time and effort as John Middleton. Boo them for not matching what the Phillies were willing to do. Take a minute to think about the events that led us to this point.

As Chase Utley once said, “Boo? Fuck you.”