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Strasburg throws first live BP

By WTOP Staff

Craig Heist, wtop.com

Viera, Fla. – With the Nationals gearing up for their first Grapefruit League game on Saturday against the New York Mets in Port St. Lucie, the pitchers and hitters took part in the first live batting practice session of the spring.

We didn’t get the Stephen Strasburg vs. Bryce Harper matchup we all wanted to see but Strasburg got his work in throwing to Tyler Moore, Roger Bernadina, Chad Tracy and Chris Snyder.

“I felt good,” Strasburg said. “It felt good to be back out there and everything started to come back as I got deeper into it.”

Strasburg threw mainly fastballs during his 37 pitch session but did manage to mix in a few off-speed pitches and he appeared to have a pretty sharp curve ball.

“Yea, it felt good,” he said. “I hung a couple of first ones and then it really started to come back and I started to get a lot sharper as I went on.”

Some hitters just take passes at pitches during these live batting practice sessions just to try and get their timing down while others will try and get some swings in. Each hitter is different in that way and Strasburg says it doesn’t bother him one way or the other.

“Obviously, they are your teammates too so you want them to feel good about it so obviously, it’s a little different out there in games in that you don’t know what’s coming. Same thing for them, they want to get in there and get a chance to time up some fastballs and get their timing down.”

Tyler Moore was the first player to take some swings off the 15-game winner from a year ago.

“He looked really good,” Moore said. “The ball was coming out of his hand electric, sharp curveball, heavy sink on the sinker and good sink on the change-up so I mean, it’s everything you want out of one of your starters and everything you don’t want to see as the hitter.”

Gio responds to ESPN report

Several weeks ago the Miami New Times reported that Nationals pitcher Gio Gonzalez was linked to Anthony Bosch, who reportedly supplied performance-enhancing drugs to professional athletes.

Today, Gonzalez met with reporters outside the dugout at Space Coast Stadium to comment on an ESPN “Outside the Lines” report, which sites two sources as saying Gonzalez never received any banned substances from Bosch or his now closed Biogenesis anti-aging clinic.

Gonzalez didn’t take any questions but did say, “I’m going to be honest with you guys, I haven’t heard anything officially from MLB. I do plan on cooperating with them. I want to get this all done before the season starts. This is all new to me, guys. I do plan on getting ready and looking forward to spring training. I feel confident this is going to come out good.”

The Nationals have not heard anything official from Major League Baseball, according to GM Mike Rizzo.

“We are still waiting on word from them and will hold our comments until we hear something official,” he said.

Meanwhile, Gonzalez was happy with the way his bullpen session went on Wednesday.

“I felt great and the velocity is still there,” he said. “You get some good news from the guys coming up to you and telling you how your fastball looks and it looks a little jumpy. But again, it’s coming out there and you are pitching to live hitters and you try and tend to do too much but then again, my job is to control that and keep it composed.”

“I was glad I was able to talk to Cat (pitching coach Steve McCatty) about my pitching mechanics and he doesn’t feel like there is too much to work on. He feels comfortable I will make the adjustment for my next start and feel good.”

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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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