People like to wax poetic about how baseball blossoms in spring, bringing with it the promise of a new year, and winds down as the October chill portends winter's death grip. Similarly, each season hearkens the arrival of a great new talent, as well as the often ugly end of a storied career.

Last year Bryce Harper and Mike Trout emerged, performing at levels unheard of for 19- and 20-year-olds, and this year there are any number of young stars in the making. And we saw the curtain fall on a few, as well — rare is the ballplayer like Chipper Jones who walks away from the game while still playing at a high level.

Here's a look at five talented veterans for whom the end is nigh and five youngsters who should be keeping us glued to our seats for the next decade or so.