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Zimmermann looks good as Nats rally late to beat the Braves

By WTOP Staff

Craig Heist, wtop.com

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Jordan Zimmermann allowed two runs on five hits over three innings, striking out four; Bryce Harper hit his first homer of the spring as the Nationals hung on to beat the Atlanta Braves 6-5 at Champion Stadium.

Zimmermann threw 49 pitches — 39 for strikes — while working on his change-up as he attempts to make that pitch a major part of his arsenal this season.

“He threw some really good change-ups to both righties and lefties,” says Washington Nationals manager Davey Johnson. “He was happy with the outcome and the way the hitters reacted to it, but he threw the heck out of the ball.”

After Harper hit a solo homer in the first off Braves starter Julio Teheran, Zimmermann gave up a solo shot to Jason Heyward in the bottom of the inning. In the second, a Reed Johnson RBI single scored Juan Francisco.

“Obviously, I was working on the change-up and throwing it whenever,” Zimmermann says. “I threw a curve ball to Francisco, which was a strike, and then threw a change-up so I slowed his bat down. Then I came back with a change-up and obviously it was not the right thing to do and he hit it right back at me. Other than that I felt good. The fastball was good. The off speed was really good.”

Zimmermann has been working on his change-up during the off season, a pitch that was not as good for him in years past. However, he is very intent on making it a major part of his repertoire this year and there is no better time than now to be perfecting it.

“It feels really, really good right now and I wanted to throw it every pitch if I could but I knew that wasn’t the right thing to do,” Zimmermann says. “It’s definitely learning when to throw it and the right times and that’s the next step.”

Johnson is happy to see his right-hander progressing with the pitch and thinks it will only mean good things for Zimmermann if he can perfect it.

“It just adds to his arsenal,” he says. “It’s such a great pitch because basically, he’s pretty hard and all of his pitches are good. But when you can get them off the hard stuff with something like that, I mean, hitters were taking funny swings at it.”

Zimmermann has two starts in the books this spring. He allowed three runs on seven hits over six innings of work, pitching to an ERA of 4.50. He walked one and struck-out five, but from his first start to this one, it’s a work in progress.

“Right now it’s about building up arm strength and throwing more and more pitches. Obviously, I wanted to go four but I threw 51 or 52 pitches and threw a decent amount of change-ups so I am really pleased with this outing.”

Clippard’s first time out

Tyler Clippard made his first appearance of the spring and threw a perfect inning with a strikeout. Clippard has been taking it slow during the spring, as have some of the other relievers. It’s all part of Johnson’s plan to not over-work guys with the longer spring due to the World Baseball Classic.

“Absolutely, we had talked earlier in the spring and that’s what we wanted to do collectevly and I’m glad he’s letting me do that, take my time, and prepare for April 1st,” Clippard says.

“Just the way the hitters were reacting to your stuff and it looked pretty normal, which is good, it’s a good sign. I feel good out there. My velo was good. I took a peak a couple of times and that’s all you are looking for in a Spring Training outing this early.”

Bats come to life

Trailing 4-1, the Nationals came up with a 5-run, 8th inning to take a 6-4 lead. Will Rhymes singled home a run, Steven Souza drew a bases-loaded walk and Carlos Rivero came through with a 3-run double.

The Nats had to hold the lead in the ninth. After Todd Cunningham singled home a run off Jeremy Accardo, Jordan Parraz hit a ball up the middle that Rhymes dove for, keeping the ball in the infield and preventing the tie run from scoring.

“Nobody wants extra-innings in Spring Training,” Rhymes says. “I was just trying to keep the ball in the infield in that situation and luckily the ball bounced up a little bit and I was able to get to it.”

Off to Jupiter

It’s a rematch of the NLDS as the Nats travel to Jupiter to take on the Cardinals at 1:05 p.m. Saturday. Gio Gonzalez will make his second start and he will be opposed by Adam Wainwright.

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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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