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Nats Blog: Johnson names starters for first spring games

By WTOP Staff

Craig Heist, wtop.com

Viera, Fla. – As Nationals manager Davey Johnson continued to watch the progression of his pitching staff during the early part of spring training; he has been impressed overall by what he has seen.

Johnson even laid out his plans for who will start the first three games of the Grapefruit League season which begins Saturday in Port St. Lucie against the New York Mets.

“There is no bullpen tomorrow (Tuesday),” Johnson said.

“Then they are throwing to the hitters with batting practice and if everyone comes through that alright, I’ve got Stras (Stephen Strasburg) pitching the first game on the road and then Jordan Zimmermann pitching the first home game here and then Gio (Gonzalez).”

Gonzalez is scheduled to pitch in the World Baseball Classic for Team USA and he will get three games in before heading to Miami to join the team.

“Gio is set to pitch on the 25th,” Johnson said.

“He will then pitch on the second and then the seventh before heading to Miami and he’ll pitch on the 12th,” he said.

As to who will fill in for Gonzalez while he is pitching in the classic, Johnson was non-committal.

“There are several candidates. I’d like to have the luxury of having about a couple two or three outings by people before I start slotting someone in to take that game,” he said.

Soriano throws for first time after being delayed getting into camp

Nationals closer Rafael Soriano threw his first bullpen session of the spring and it didn’t seem as though the missed time hurt him.

“I thought Soriano looked good,” said skipper Davey Johnson.

“I thought he threw the ball good. He was doing a lot of long-tossing and we were having conversations about what he likes to do during the spring but I liked the way he was throwing,” he said.

Johnson said he would like Soriano not to try and do too much too soon.

“He knows what he needs to do and he probably won’t work the first week, he’ll take it easy. In talking to him, he doesn’t need but a certain number of innings; I mean no more than 8-10.”

Catcher Kurt Suzuki was behind the plate for Soriano’s bullpen and was impressed with what he saw and how smooth Soriano looked for not getting into camp until Saturday.

“He was great and he was just working on stuff, nothing special,” Suzuki said.

“He was just getting himself ready, throwing some sliders, throwing the ball where he wanted to. That’s the thing, I really didn’t have to move my glove much and that’s when you really know a guy has been doing it for a long time when he come and in his first bullpen, fire away and hit every spot,” Suzuki said.

Suzuki was obtained in a trade with the Oakland Athletics on August 3 last season and he spent the last two months of the season trying to learn the Nats’ pitching staff, something that is still a work in progress.

“It’s always a progression,” he said.

“I feel like I have a lot more to go. It’s the fun part because you build that relationship and that’s the fun part. You learn a lot more and you get more comfortable as you go. Once you get to that point, everything that kind of flows and you get that rhythm and everything is great.”

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(Copyright 2013 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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