A real professional: Bryce Harper responds to worst ejection of season in best way

MLB umpires rewrite the book on thin skin on a weekly basis. On Friday, it was home plate umpire Brian Walsh who set the standard for the most unnecessary ejection of the year when he tossed Bryce Harper in the first inning. The Philadelphia Phillies first baseman apparently reached his limit on complaining about the strike zone after seeing just three pitches, only one of which was a called strike.

After the game, Harper got in a shot at Walsh.

"I wasn't trying to get thrown out. Was just having a conversation. There are guys who are professionals in this league. They understand it. I guess 120 didn't understand it," Harper said via CBS Sports, referencing Walsh's umpire number.

On Saturday, Harper showed Walsh what a true professional looks like by getting to work and helping his team win a ballgame.

The Phillies went into the ninth inning training 3-2. They left with a win after scoring five runs in their final frame. Harper blasted a three-run home run after his teammates retook the lead, adding some valuable insurance runs.

Harper responded to his ejection by going 2-for-5 with four RBI in Saturday's win.

Unfortunately, he wasn't able to channel that motivation into Sunday's series finale. With the first baseman going 0-for-4, the Phillies fell 5-2.

Dealing with power-tripping umpires is part of the game. It sucks for fans who showed up on Friday night to see Harper, but any Phillies fans who got tickets to Saturday's outing in Colorado got their monies worth at least.

The series loss to the Rockies was the Phillies first since the beginning of April against the Reds. They're heading to San Francisco with hopes of getting back to their winning ways. So long as they have Harper in the lineup, they'll have confidence they can get it done.