Andrew Cashner News

Mar 15, 2012; Mesa, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs infielder Anthony Rizzo watches from the bench during the fourth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Hohokam Stadium.

The highly skilled role of closer on a Major League Baseball team has certainly evolved over the years.

Los Angeles' Matt Treanor, Andre Ethier and James Loney all homered to lead the Dodgers to a 6-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday and their fifth straight win.

Anthony Rizzo flopped in a 49-game debut with the Padres last year, but he's now crushing Triple-A pitching for the second straight season and the Cubs are starting to think about calling him up .

The minor-league slugger who fans and media have clamored to see in the majors since spring training could be in the Cubs' lineup within the next three weeks.

Stephen Strasburg left after only four innings Tuesday, matching the second-shortest appearance of his 25-start career, and San Diego's Will Venable had four hits, while John Baker delivered three hits and three RBIs, leading the Padres to a 6-1 victory over the Washington Nationals .

Is its recent success, particularly from the starters, a sign of what could be building on the North Side in the next few years? The answers to both questions start with the guy trying to pitch the Cubs out of last place Friday in Milwaukee.

May 9, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro reacts after being tagged out while trying to stretch a triple into an inside-the-park home run during the fourth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Wrigley Field.

May 6, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Cubs first baseman Bryan LaHair hits a double during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Wrigley Field.

Every year, we see a 40-to-50-percent turnover rate among opening-day closers, this year that rate seems even higher.

Ricky Nolasco remained unbeaten, Giancarlo Stanton drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the tiebreaking run in the eighth inning and the Miami Marlins beat the San Diego Padres 6-3 Sunday for their season-best sixth straight victory.

Job creation is a hot topic and MLB is unintentionally doing its part in one area of the game: the ninth inning.

The TinCaps made a couple of roster moves ahead of their seven-game road trip to West Michigan and Dayton.

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