Being a rookie in the Majors can be tough. But everyone has to go through it once.

In the most recent episode of the Unwritten podcast, hosted by former rookies Jimmy Rollins and Ron Darling, the pair was joined by a living legend and one-time Rookie of the Year, Albert Pujols, to discuss what it's like to be a first-year player in the Majors.

Pujols, who hit .329 with 37 home runs during his rookie season in 2001, dominated during his debut year, so it’s not a surprise that the Cardinals’ veterans made him feel comfortable.

“They welcomed me right away,” Pujols said. “They always respected me. I think that’s the main thing for a rookie -- they want to be like, ‘Hey, I belong here, the vets have my back. Obviously you’re still a rookie so you don’t want to cross the line.”

But he didn’t quite get away without doing all the chores that come with being a rookie. Pujols, who played with veterans such as Mark McGwire, Mike Matheny and Fernando Vina, still had to do “the rookie things, like taking the water or carrying the beer,” despite being an All-Star and contending for the National League MVP.

“It was a test. If you take it personally, you get in trouble,” he said. “But before I knew it, I wasn’t a rookie anymore.”

During the episode, Rollins talked about his philosophy on how to treat rookies when you’re a veteran player.

“I would never tell a rookie how to do his work or be mean to him,” Rollins said. “I would give him the lay of the land, but you do you. Know the times that you may need to pull back a bit, but you do you. Because you’re here, and we need you to show up every day.”

Tune in every Wednesday as Rollins and Darling talk about baseball’s unwritten rules. Listen and subscribe now on Audacy, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.