These are the oldest players in the big leagues

I first knew I was getting older, becoming a real grownup, when there started to be Major League Baseball players who were my age. Then, I knew I was getting older when the manager started to be my age. And then, I knew I was officially old when players my age were almost all retired.

Baseball is a game people fall in love with in our youth, but, alas, youth doesn’t last forever. Eventually you hit the point when you’re older than everybody.

Baseball is, and always will be, a young man's game. As it stands now, no one born in the 1970s -- or who played in the 1990s -- will be on a roster this season.

Life, however, just keeps going. So here's a look at the 10 oldest players in baseball heading into the 2020 season (11, actually, since there is a tie for 10th). To qualify for this list, you must:

• Have played in 2019

• Be either on a Major League roster, be on a Minor League contract or have received a non-roster Spring Training invite

• Not been released yet

This is your reminder that Fernando Rodney remains unsigned. He’ll turn 43 in March, and someone’s got to sign him up at some point. All it takes is one phone call. He’s on the same page as fellow not-yet-retired-but-not-on-a-roster older folks like Pat Neshek, Rajai Davis, Ben Zobrist, Kendrys Morales, Zach Duke, Russell Martin and Hunter Pence. And a shout out to those players who were on this list last year but have officially retired: Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Curtis Granderson.

If you are younger than everyone on this list, congratulations. But time is coming for you, too.

1. Albert Pujols, DH, Angels (age 40)
Born: Jan. 16, 1980 … First season: 2001

Assuming Rodney doesn’t catch on, Pujols officially becomes the oldest player in baseball this year. His days as a lineup force are long beyond him, yet he still has two more years on his deal in Anaheim. He also still seems to comfortably have a place in the Angels' lineup.

2. Rich Hill, LHP, Twins (age 39)
Born: March 11, 1980 … First season: 2005

It’s been a struggle for Hill to stay healthy, but he remains effective when on the mound. Since 2016, when his career was reborn once he decided to make his curve his primary pitch, Hill has a 3.00 ERA in 82 starts (roughly 20 per year). Hill remains one of the game’s great characters, and baseball will be a little bit more fun as long as he remains a part of it.

3. Erik Kratz, C, Yankees (age 39)
Born: June 15, 1980 … First season: 2010

The scrappy, lovable backup catcher is still hanging around, now trying to catch on with the Yankees as their backup catcher. Perhaps the secret to durability is getting plenty of rest: Kratz, who has been around since 2010 (he didn’t make his big league debut until he was 30), has never played more than 68 games in a season.

4. Nelson Cruz, DH, Twins (age 39)
Born: July 1, 1980 ... First season: 2005

The one guy on this list who seems to consistently be getting better with age, Cruz may have put up his best offensive season in 2019, reaching career highs in OBP and slugging. He’ll be a free agent after this season, but there’s no reason to think he won’t be bashing homers deep into his 40s. He’s less than six months younger than Pujols, but he looks primed to outlast him -- and maybe everyone else on this list.

5. Oliver Pérez, RP, Indians (age 38)
Born: Aug. 15, 1981 … First season: 2002

Remember when Ollie Pérez was a flame-throwing phenom for the Padres and Pirates? Pérez made his debut when he was 20, and his 2004 season, at age 22, remains his best one, as he whiffed 239 batters. After a few rocky years with the Mets and missing the '11 season with injury, he reinvented himself as a reliever and became a fantastic one.

6. Adam Wainwright, SP, Cardinals (age 38)
Born: Aug. 30, 1981 … First season: 2005

Many thought Wainwright was on the edge of retirement several times over the last few years, but he keeps coming back. He had his best season in a half decade in 2019, and he was a primary reason the Cardinals' rotation held on long enough to reach the playoffs. And come October, he was terrific, giving up a total of three runs in his three postseason starts. He’ll be in the rotation one more go-around for the Cardinals in 2020, along with his longtime buddy …

7. (tie) Yadier Molina, C, Cardinals (age 37)
Born: July 13, 1982 … First season: 2004

Yep, Yadier Molina, once Bengie and Jose’s cherubic little brother, is now the seventh-oldest player in Major League Baseball. His struggles with the bat last year were noteworthy -- that .312 OBP isn’t going to get it done -- but he remains the heart and soul of the Cardinals and the center of everything they do. And he’s far from finished: Reports out of St. Louis say he’s interested in a contract extension beyond this year.

7. (tie) Shin-Soo Choo, OF, Rangers (age 37)
Born: July 13, 1982 … First season: 2005

After some injury issues earlier in his career, you might not immediately think of Choo as the picture of durability, but he has played at least 146 games for three consecutive years. His on-base skills haven’t faded a bit -- he was 12th in the AL in OBP last year at .371 -- and set a career high with 24 homers. That seven-year deal he signed with the Rangers so long ago finally expires after this year, but, against all odds, he might be able to get himself another contract once this year is over; anybody could use a guy with a .371 OBP.

9. J.A. Happ, SP, Yankees (age 37)
Born: Oct. 19, 1992 … First season: 2007

Happ was durable in 2019, making 30 starts for the Yankees, but that’s about all he was: His 4.91 ERA was the highest it has been since his nightmare 6-15 season back in 2011 with Houston. The Yankees were reportedly shopping him in the offseason, but right now he’s slated as their fifth starter. That could be important, because if he reaches 165 innings or 27 starts in 2020 (he was 3 2/3 innings short last year), his $17 million option for '21 kicks in.

10. (tie) Robinson Canó, 2B, Mets (age 37)
Born: Oct. 22, 1982 … First season: 2005

Canó has been consistently excellent for his entire career … until he came to the Mets. Canó had his worst season in more than a decade in 2019, on the heels of his PED suspension, and he had real injury troubles for the first time. The good news is that he rebounded in the second half, with a .284/.339/.541 slash line. The Mets must hope he recovers some old glory. He’s going to be under contract through 2023, making him a sleeper candidate to someday top this list.

10. (tie) Darren O’Day, RP, Braves (age 37)
Born: Oct. 22, 1982 … First season: 2008

The sidewinding O’Day only made it into eight games in 2019, but he gave up only one earned run in those games, and he had four scoreless appearances in the postseason. So the Braves brought him back on a one-year deal. Pretty good for a guy who was undrafted.