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Haren makes Nats debut in loss to the Marlins

By WTOP Staff

Craig Heist, wtop.com

VIERA, Fla. – Dan Haren allowed one run on two hits while striking out three in his first start of the spring as the Nationals fell to the Marlins 5-1 at Space Coast Stadium.

Haren ran into first inning trouble as leadoff hitter Christian Yelich tripled over the head of Denard Span in centerfield. Donovan Solano then hit a fly to left, allowing Yelich to score and gave the Marlins an early lead.

Haren set the Marlins down in order in the second inning and admitted to being nervous in his first start as a National.

“There are nerves every day,” Haren said. “Every time I have taken the mound in my career, there’s nerves. I was nervous waking up today. If you’re not nervous, you shouldn’t be doing this anymore. But you know, this is what gets us going, competing, and it starts today. But definitely there were some nerves.”

Haren was signed to a one-year, $13 million contract back in early December to replace Edwin Jackson in the rotation. Back problems limited him to 30 starts and a career-low 176 innings. That broke a streak of seven consecutive seasons of pitching at least 216 innings.

He finished with a record of 12-13 and an ERA of 4.33.

Haren was the last of the five starters to throw in a game. Until now, it has been bullpen sessions and live batting practice for him.

“It’s a different feeling having hitters in there trying to get hits off you,” he said. “I was a little out of sorts at the beginning and fell behind guys. It’s not my game to be 1-0 or 3-0 but as the game started to go, I throw more first pitch strikes and getting better looks.”

Haren knows if he is healthy, he will be a great addition to the rotation that already includes Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Gio Gonzalez and Ross Detwiler. He is also aware that his style brings a certain look the others don’t have.

“It’s a special group. Everyone does something a little bit different whether it’s hard throwers, a couple of lefties, different looks from guys, I mean, I know I am a totally different pitcher than the other righties in the rotation.”

“My fastball usually hovers around where Strasburg’s change-up is,” he said jokingly. “It’s got to be quite a different look for guys but when I start trying to throw hard, that’s when I get in trouble. I start elevating the ball and leaving balls down the middle.”

The Pen
Craig Stammen threw two scoreless innings but allowed one hit and struck out three. Fernando Abad threw a perfect inning.

The Marlins blew the game open with a three-run seventh inning. Tanner Roark was charged with four runs in an inning-and-a-third, facing ten batters. Eric Davis and Drew Storen finished the game for the Nationals. Storen rebounded nicely after giving up a run in a save situation against the Marlins on Feb. 24.

First games for Werth and LaRoche
Keeping with manager Davey Johnson’s philosophy of taking it slow with his regulars, Wednesday was the first day right fielder Jayson Werth and first baseman Adam LaRoche have played this spring.

Werth and LaRoche went a combined 0-for-4. Werth struck out twice while LaRoche flew out to left and then fanned in his second time at bat.

“Werth was tracking,” Johnson said. “I kind of figured he was going to take it slow. I might have been rushing him a bit, getting him in there today but he enjoyed it and he’s going to be in there tomorrow.”

Bryce Harper will not play Thursday night against the Mets. Harper went 0-for-2 in the game to drop his average to .600 for the spring.

Night time, prime time
The Nationals welcome the New York Mets to Space Coast Stadium for a 6:05 p.m. start Thursday. Stephen Strasburg will make his second start of the spring and he will pitch against Shawn Marcum, a rematch of last Saturday’s game in Port St. Lucie.

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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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