World Series 2011: 5 Players Who Will Come Up Big in Game 5

It's hard to overstate the importance of a Game 5 in the World Series.

Tonight both Ron Washington and Tony La Russa will send their aces to the mound.

The Rangers can ill afford to go back to St. Louis trailing in the series. Meanwhile, St. Louis knows that they can't waste a Chris Carpenter start against a potent lineup.

This has been a thoroughly entertaining and unpredictable series. One night the Cardinals put up 16 runs and the next night they are shutout.

With that said, here are the predictions for five players who will come up big in Game 5.

C.J. Wilson

The Rangers ace has not been himself in the playoffs. In four postseason starts, C.J. Wilson is 0-3 with a 7.17 ERA.

The impending free agent has to deliver for his team tonight. Wilson can wipe away all the ugly memories of his last four starts with a strong one in Game 5.

In Game 1, Wilson beat himself by surrendering six walks in only 5 2/3 innings. Tonight, expect him to command the zone and be more efficient with his pitch count.

He is too good of a pitcher to let his season, and possibly his career in Texas, end on such a bad note.

Chris Carpenter

Chris Carpenter, on the other hand, is a No. 1 pitcher who has elevated his performance in the playoffs.

The Philadelphia Phillies got to him early in Game 1 of the NLDS, but he has been strong ever since.

Carpenter has won his last three starts and done so at the biggest moments. He closed out the NLDS, won a pivotal Game 3 in the NLCS and won the World Series opener.

In a must-win game, there is no one that Tony La Russa and the Cardinals would rather send to the mound.

Look for Carpenter to allow a few runs to the strong Texas lineup, but to work into the seventh or eighth innings.

He will be hard-pressed to stifle the Ranger offense, but you can bet that Carpenter will grind and keep his team competitive.

Mike Napoli

Mike Napoli came into this series as one of the most underrated players in baseball.

During the regular season, the Rangers' catcher hit .320 with 30 home runs and yet the casual fan knows very little about him.

With his postseason performance, Napoli is making sure that he can't go unnoticed.

His postseason has been just as steady as the regular season. Through 14 games, he is hitting .319 with 3 home runs.

Talk about consistency.

What makes Napoli stand out from the other great Texas hitters is his success against Chris Carpenter.

Entering the World Series he was 3-for-3 with a home run against the Cardinals ace. In Game 1, Napoli tagged Carpenter again for Texas' only runs.

Tonight the Rangers will be counting on Napoli to continue to be a reliable run-producer.

Albert Pujols

Going way out on a limb, the fourth player is the Cardinals' Albert Pujols.

He put together a historic Game 3 which nobody will soon forget. Then, the Cardinals slugger was held in check, along with the rest of the team, by Derek Holland in Game 4.

Pujols bears the burden of scrutiny that comes with being a superstar and one of this generation's greatest hitters. On a night when no Cardinal could hit, his 0-for-4 still stands out.

In Game 5, Pujols must be the driving force of the Cardinals' offense. Carpenter will keep the team close, but this lineup has to be able to match the Texas bats.

Expect Pujols to notch a couple of hits to bounce back in Game 5.

Rafael Furcal

The fifth player who will come up big is Cardinals shortstop Rafael Furcal.

Furcal has had a dismal showing through the first four games of the World Series. The Cardinals' leadoff hitter is just 2-for-16 in the Fall Classic.

There are still at least two games left for the shortstop to leave his mark on this series and he has multiple ways to do it.

The most obvious is to crank out a few singles from the leadoff spot.

If Furcal is able to reach base tonight, look for him to run. During the regular season, baserunners were successful 24 times against C.J. Wilson, while only being thrown out seven times.

In addition to his importance in the lineup, Furcal plays a critical defensive position. With sinkerball pitcher Chris Carpenter on the mound, solid defensive play is a must.

Furcal has not played well through four games, but watch for him to come through in Game 5.