By JACK MAGRUDER
FOXSportsArizona.com
Jan. 24, 2011
PHOENIX -- As a rookie making his fifth major league start, Albert Pujols crushed a 3-2 fastball from Randy Johnson into deep center field at Chase Field, driving in the seventh and eighth runs of his career with a double in St. Louis' 9-4 victory over Arizona on April 8, 2001.
Ten years later, we understand how he did it.
He's Albert Pujols, that's how.
It happens every year.
A player translates potential into productivity.
Colorado was a double beneficiary last season, when Carlos Gonzalez and Ubaldo Jimenez stepped into stardom. Gonzalez led the National League in hitting and vaulted into MVP contention last season, while Jimenez had a little more command on his 100 mph heater and finished third in NL Cy Young balloting.
Here are five NL players poised to take a big step this season.
Rasmus has as much potential as any player in baseball, a curse he had a difficult time living with in his first two major league seasons. A five-tool center fielder, Rasmus went so far as to ask for a trade last season, a request that rankled team leader Pujols but also one that the Cardinals were not willing to grant, given Rasmus' incredible upside.
Rasmus took a step forward in every offensive category in 2010, finishing with 23 home runs and 12 stolen bases. If there is a player capable of making a Carlos Gonzalez-type jump, he is the guy. Gonzalez, remember, went from 13 homers and 16 steals in 89 games in his first season in Colorado in 2009 to 34/26 with 117 RBIs as a full-time starter last year, finishing third in the NL MVP race while winning Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards.
Rasmus, 24, did have one troubling stat last year, 148 strikeouts
