[There is a new post here updating the race following the announcement of ARod’s retirement]

In 2013, I began tracking the dwindling group of players still active in Major Baseball who had appeared in the Nintendo 64 game Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey Jr.

With the 2016 season upon us, that task has become very simple with just three players hanging on.

Still active:
-Alex Rodriguez
-Bartolo Colon
-David Ortiz

From a starting pool of about 800 players, that’s it.  That’s the list.  Which brings us to the question I’ve been fascinated about for years: who will be the last one?

At this point, I would be shocked if ARod does not win this honor.  He turns 41 in July, but he’s the only one of the three who has a contract beyond this year (for $21 million!).  Big Papi has announced he intends to retire after this season, and Colon signed a 1-year deal with the Mets for 2016.

*UPDATE* ARod told ESPN on 3/23 he intends to retire after the 2017 season, so either that’s the end of this glorious line, or scientists will need to study Colon to figure out how in the world he got a start in 2018. *END OF UPDATE*

Colon turns 43 in May, and while he’s a freak of nature who seemingly could pitch forever, there is a much greater chance of ARod DHing for another year while Bartolo rides into the sunset.

The Yankees and Mets play a four game series to start August, and we all deserve to see this:

(Pretend the Orioles/Mariners uniforms are swapped for Yankees/Mets)

The latest round of retirements officially brought the average retirement year just slightly over 2003 for the entire pool of players.  That really puts into perspective how insane it is for the last guys to still be playing in 2016.

It’s also notable that the employers of the final three — Yankees, Mets, Red Sox — are among the very top of the league when it comes to being the last stop of the most players.

See you for the probable coronation of ARod in a year.