Bryce Harper’s Debut Not as Exciting as Hot Dogs

Bryce Harper has created quite a buzz around here, but it seems like Harper-mania doesn’t extend beyond the DMV area. Yet.

Dave Sheinin of the Post was in Rome, Ga., for Harper’s Class A debut. By his account, the Nats No. 1 draft pick took second billing to a giant hot dog and his friends:

“None of Harper’s four at-bats was greeted as enthusiastically as the mid-sixth-inning appearance of the costumed Henry the Hot Dog, accompanied by Ketchup and Mustard, who arrived in the back of a pickup truck and threw foil-wrapped frankfurters into the stands.”

That statement represents everything that is glorious about minor league games. For $10 a ticket you get to watch baseball’s No. 1 draft pick while catching hot dogs thrown from the back of a Toyota.

The lack of excitement over his presence didn’t stop Harper from going 2 for 4 with an RBI and a stolen base.

"It's a blast,” he gushed to the media after the game. “It's everything that I've ever wanted to do. I'm here to work hard and I'm here to win."

While the fans may not have been overly excited, the league was over the moon about the memorabilia the night created. Officials were on hand to authenticate the treasures of the evening, all of which are to be auctioned off:

“The haul included a half-dozen game-used and autographed baseballs, the first set of bases from the game, the lineup cards from both managers and Harper's nameplate -- or the Class A equivalent, a yellow strip of paper -- from above his locker. All will eventually be auctioned off.”

That’s all pretty standard stuff. But get one of those frankfurters signed by Henry the Hot Dog and you’ve got yourself an auction.