Casting Nats players as "Star Wars" characters

When it's Week 8 of writing about baseball when there's no baseball to write about, you start coming up with some weird ideas. Most of them never see the light of day, but some of them do. And this is one of them.

Monday was May 4. For "Star Wars" fans, it's an unofficial national holiday. Why? Cause it's May the Fourth. As in: "May the Fourth be with you."

Yeah, it's cheesy. Guess what? So is "Star Wars."

I'm a "Star Wars" fan. Not the kind of fan who dresses up in a Stormtrooper costume and attends the midnight showing of a newly released episode - not that there's anything wrong with that - but the kind of fan who grew up with the original trilogy, had all the toys as a kid, was excited (and then a little disappointed) when the prequel trilogy came out in my 20s, was skeptical but excited when the sequel trilogy came out in my 40s and now really appreciates watching my son become a fan.

Sean Doolittle is a bigger "Star Wars" fan than me. He carried a lightsaber around the Nationals clubhouse during every postseason clinch celebration. He gave like a 25-minute answer to one question posed to him during a team-sponsored interview that was shown in its entirety on the scoreboard last year on "Star Wars Day" at Nationals Park.

Knowing all that, my MASNsports.com colleague, Bobby Blanco, came up with the idea of taping a "Star Wars" edition of the "MASN All Access Podcast" on Monday, with Doolittle as the special guest. It was great, and I encourage you to click on the link and watch the full show.

At one point during the show, I decided to reveal to Sean and Bobby my silly pet project from the weekend: Casting various Nationals players as "Star Wars" characters. It started out as a joke, but the more I thought about it, the more legit some of the comparisons seemed to be. And Doolittle liked them! (Well, most of them.) He even added some extra details and insights to a few that helped make the choices stronger.

So it is with more than an insignificant amount of trepidation that I reveal here my list of Nats players as "Star Wars" characters. This is all in fun. If any players read this, please don't take it personally. Or better yet, if you take any offense to them, just get your revenge by publicly casting me as Emperor Palpatine. Or worse, Jar Jar Binks.

Ryan Zimmerman as Luke Skywalker
The original "Face of the Franchise." Started out as an innocent bystander who quickly became a leading figure in a noble cause. As he got older, turned kind of cynical and untrusting of those with little experience. But in the end, put team before himself and was willing to sacrifice himself for the good of the team.

Juan Soto as Han Solo
Their names sound similar. They really don't have that much in common, because Han has a dark past and (at least initially) cares more about helping himself than others. But here's why I paired them up: Because they're both really good, and they both know it. These are a couple of confident dudes.

Max Scherzer as Princess Leia
Really. Hear me out on this one. Leia is a natural leader. She's as tough as anyone in the galaxy. She doesn't want anyone to rescue her; she wants to get herself and her teammates out of a jam. She's respected by everyone. She's the ultimate competitor. And she won't take no for an answer. Sound like a certain three-time Cy Young Award winner? (Full credit to my wife, by the way, for coming up with this one.)

Howie Kendrick as R2-D2
A stocky-but-versatile utilityman who sometimes gets overlooked but always comes through in the most important moments to help his team win. Some might even say he's the true MVP of the series.

Stephen Strasburg as C-3PO
OK, this is a stretch. It doesn't really work, if for no other reason than Strasburg is the ultimate introvert and C-3PO can't stop yammering away at everything he sees and hears around him. But in both cases, folks just want them to lighten up a little bit. Quit being so analytical all the time and just enjoy life. (I'm sorry, Stephen. You deserve better than this.)

Jayson Werth as Qui-Gon Jinn
I could've taken the low road and said Werth is Chewbacca, but that's a cheap joke. Besides, Chewy is a sidekick. Werth is a leading man. So he gets cast as Qui-Gon, the hero and leader of Episode I who serves as an important mentor to his young teammates. Sadly, he's not around when the team is finally victorious, but he helped lay the foundation of success that would come after he's gone. His presence is still felt today.

Gerardo Parra as Yoda
Wasn't in the first act. Showed up in the second act. Came across as this goofy, weird guy at first who wouldn't make a difference. But then proved to be incredibly insightful, to understand how to motivate others to get the most out of them. Yes, he's comedic relief, but he plays an integral role in helping guide our heroes to glory.

Sean Doolittle as Obi-Wan Kenobi
The young Obi-Wan. The Ewan McGregor version, not the Alec Guiness version. He's quiet, studious and thoughtful. He's listens to those who are more experienced than himself, but he's also willing to lend advice to younger teammates who are still learning how to be successful. And when it's crunch time, he gets the job done. (Though he maybe shouldn't have walked off the field at the end of Episode III before making sure the final out was officially recorded. He could've prevented a whole lot of future trouble if only he finished the job.)

Bryce Harper as Anakin Skywalker
Touted as "The Chosen One" from a very young age. Has the most skill and power of anyone who's ever participated in this game. Also has a bit of a temper and sometimes struggles to channel it into positive acts. Blossoms into a beloved hero - until he stuns the galaxy and turns to the Dark Side by signing with the Phillies. (Maybe there's still hope for redemption some day?)