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Nats and Fish play to a tie

By WTOP Staff

Craig Heist, wtop.com

Viera, Fla.- Jordan Zimmermann was impressive in his first Spring Training start and Anthony Rendon hits a two-run homer as the Nationals played the Marlins to a 2-2 tie after 10 innings.

Zimmermann gave up one run on two innings and was much more pitch efficient than Stephen Strasburg was against the Mets on Saturday. Zimmermann threw 43 pitches, 23 for strikes and after breezing through the first two innings getting five of his six outs on ground balls, his only hiccup came in the third.

Zimmermann gave up a lead-off double to second baseman Chris Valaika. After walking Bryan Peterson, Chone Figgins sacrificed the runners to second and third. Chris Coghlan then brought home Valaika with a ground out.

“The first two innings I was throwing strikes and keeping the ball down and getting early contact,” Zimmermann said. “In the third inning, I fell behind and got into a 2-1 count and I thought I’d throw the change-up and maybe get him to roll over and then I threw a ball and ended up walking a guy. I was happy to get out of that with only the one run but overall, I thought it went pretty well.”

Zimmermann went 12-8 last season with a 2.94 ERA in 32 starts for the Nats and he has often been the victim of poor run support throughout his career.

“It’s just the way it is,” he said. “Every team has a guy like that and it’s just happened the last couple of years it’s been me so hopefully it changes this year.”

Zimmermann knows with the extended spring for everyone because of the World Baseball Classic, there is much more of an emphasis for players to take it slower and not get caught up in trying to impress and do too much and he is happy with where is after his first start.

“I feel good. I think the fastball is coming out good and the breaking balls have pretty good break on them and I am right where I need to be. That was a good outing for me and something I can build on. I’m not where I want to be yes but I’m getting there.”

Storen’s first outing

Nats reliever Drew Storen took a 2-1 lead into the ninth inning but failed to close the door on the Marlins. Storen gave up back-to-back base hits to put runners at first and third. Jake Jefferies then grounded out to second scoring the run to tie the game.

“He was getting his work in,” said manager Davey Johnson. “I thought he left a couple of balls up. He had good velocity but he left a couple of balls up. I don’t put much stock in it. These guys will be ready for opening day. I think he threw one breaking ball and his location was a little up early.”

Storen is coming off the game five loss to the Cardinals in the National League Divisional Series and in which he blew a two run lead, giving up four runs as the Nationals fell 9-7, costing them a trip to the NLCS.

Storen is trying to be more cautious this spring after having surgery to repair a bone spur in the elbow last year in Spring Training and for him this was a good start in hopes of not being too amped up and trying to overdo things.

“It felt good,” Stroen said. “I was just going out and getting my feet wet. Like I said, going out there trying not to get hurt, trying to tone it down a bit and be just be nice and free and easy. I wasn’t really maxing out. I was just a couple of gears down, trying to stay on top of the baseball and locate more than anything else. Coming out healthy is the main thing.”

Rendon homers

The Nationals 2011 first round draft pick, Anthony Rendon hit a two-run, opposite field homer in the bottom of the 5th inning off Ryan Webb which gave the Nats a 2- 1 lead at the time.

Rendon played in just 43 games last season between rookie ball and making it to double-A Harrisburg. Along the way he dealt with a badly sprained ankle suffered in April. He hit three homers with Harrisburg and said the opposite field power doesn’t surprise him.

“I guess in the last year or so I have been able to tell I have some power to the right side,” Rendon said. “I know I finished up the season with Harrisburg and my home runs there were to right field so I guess my power to the right side is coming along.”

He is healthy heading into this spring and he knows that’s a big part of trying to become the player everyone thinks he will become.

“I feel good,” he said. ” I know we are only two days into it so it’s hard to judge but you have to get a feel for it. I am tracking balls and making sure I am seeing the ball right. Just make sure you are progressing and not going the other way.”

Gray following the Nats

D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray was in town following the Nationals over the weekend.

He was in Port St. Lucie on Saturday to watch the Nats take on the Mets and he was on hand to throw out the first pitch before the Nats took on the Marlins at Space Coast Stadium.

“I’m here to see our great Nationals team,” Gray said in front of the Nationals dugout before the game. “You know it was such an exciting season last year and we have such high hopes for the coming year, especially with the additions they have made. It’s a great way to support the team and show people the team should be supported.”

Coming off a run to the playoffs last season and seeing attendance increase as the team got better, Gray believes it is very important for the city.

“It is from a civic spirit perspective,” he said. “I want to see increasingly large number numbers of people who live in the city support the team too. We always want the regional support because we are a regional team but at the same time we want people who live in the city to feel like this is a team that belongs to them.”

Gray also believes the commercial and retail development around Nationals Park is due to having the team there and he says there is more to come.

“For example, there is a movie theater that will come in down there. We’ve got more eateries that will come into the area. There will certainly be more people moving in and there will be more residential development down there as well.”

Gray also said there is a baseball academy for kids that will be finished sometime in the fall.

Another Port

After playing the Mets Saturday, the Nats are headed back to Port St. Lucie on Monday night to take on the Mets at 6:10. Gio Gonzlaez will face Collin McHugh.

Follow @CraigWTOP and @WTOP on Twitter.

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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