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Heist: Strasburg is sharp as Nats and Mets play to a tie

By WTOP Staff

Craig Heist, wtop.com

VIERA, Fla. – Stephen Strasburg allowed one run on three hits and struck out six in his second start of the spring as the Nationals and Mets played to a 4-4 tie at Space Coast Stadium.

Strasburg gave up back-to-back singles by Jordany Valdespin and Coillin Cowgill to start the game. With runners at first and third, Mike Baxter brought home Valdespin with a sac fly to left to give the Mets a 1-0 lead.

Strasburg then recovered and got back-to-back strikeouts of Andrew Brown and Kirk Nieuwnehuis to end the inning. In the second and the third, Strasburg walked a batter in each inning but also fanned two in each. He threw 51 pitches, 33 for strikes.

“I had a little bit better fastball command this time,” Strasburg said.

“I was able to work down at the knees a little better. Off speed, I really didn’t throw enough off speed to see how it was the last game but I threw it a little bit more and it felt good.”

After his first start against the Mets in Port St. Lucie last Saturday, Strasburg said he was too amped up in the first inning throwing 42 pitches, 24 for strikes, while giving up two runs and he realizes he needs to keep that in check early in games, something that is difficult to do early on in the spring.

“It gets better but being this early I don’t feel like I haven’t had enough mound time for it to just click and not really think about it so I’m just trying to feel it out a bit,” he said.

“I was able to make the adjustment a little bit faster this time and hopefully build off that in the bullpen coming up and try and do it again next outing.”

Strasburg enters this season with no limitations after being shutdown in early September last year. Coming off a 15-6 season, there is no doubt he wants to prove what he can do now knowing there is no innings limit this time.

“I want to prove it to myself. That’s something growing up and watching some of the greatest pitchers, you look at a guy like Jake Peavy, he was in my own backyard and I grew up watching him. He’s a bulldog out there. Even if you have little tweaks and little nicks on your body and stuff, he’s going to go out there and give it everything he has every fifth day.”

Manager Davey Johnson has noticed a little more laid back Strasburg this spring as his right-hander continues to learn what the Major League game is all about.

“The experience you get, he’s learning more about how hitters approach him and how best to use his stuff, he’s still in the learning stage,” Johnson said.

“He wants to be treated like everyone else. He didn’t like the fact he was going to be on an innings limit. He wanted to pitching with the rest of the guys when he came back and I had him in 2011. He couldn’t wait for the coming year because he was going to start just like everyone else.”

This is a different spring for the tall right-hander. He is trying to take things slower and work on things as he goes. He has the 95-98 mph fastball and a devastating change-up but right now he is trying to find a better way to throw his sinker.

“I have to get over the idea of throwing it harder will make it better,” he said.

” I think if I take a little more off it and get a little more movement on it that will be better. I feel like I am almost throwing it through the sink and its flattening out so, I kind of want to try and do that, throw it a little bit slower, let it move a little more and I’ll get some better results.”

As for results, in two games Strasburg has thrown five innings and has pitched to an ERA of 5.40 with two walks and seven strikeouts but he knows it’s all about the bigger picture during this time of the year.

“You can’t worry about results in Spring Training because you want to work on your fastball and a lot of these guys are going to be swinging within the first two pitches and they’re going to be looking fastball. You know, you just have to keep going out there and just rolling with it and then there is going to be a time where you start cranking it up a little more and treat it like a game like situation.”

Rendon continues to impress

Anthony Rendon started at third base went 1-for-2 with a double and two RBI. He is hitting .417 and is 5-for-12 on the spring with 10 total bases while slugging .833.

Jayson Werth and Matt Skole drove in the other two runs for the Nationals.

Mattheus strong again

Nats relief pitcher Ryan Mattheus was solid again in his second outing of the spring. After picking up the save in a 6-4 win over the Mets Monday in Port St. Lucie, Mattheus pitched two innings, face six batters and struck out three of them without allowing a hit.

“I felt really good tonight,” Mattheus said.

“Tonight was just one of those nights. You get a few of those during the season where everything clicks, I hit every spot.”

“I ever threw a good slider tonight,” he joked.

“It was pone of those rare outings you don’t get very much so, it was good.”

The Z-man gets closer

Manager Davey Johnson says Ryan Zimmerman will get into his first game Sunday at home against the Cardinals. Zimmerman will be the DH for the first 10-days-to- two-weeks while he continues to rehab his surgically repaired shoulder. The Nats will then get Zimmerman into a game at third base.

Disney at night

The Nationals will head to Disney to take on the Atlanta Braves on Friday night. Jordan Zimmermann will get his second start of the spring and will be opposed by Julio Teheran. First pitch is at 6:05.

Follow @cheistWTOP 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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