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Heist: Nats beat Cardinals and make cuts

By WTOP Staff

Craig Heist, wtop.com

VIERA, Fla. – Ross Detwiler made his last start before heading off to the World Baseball Classic, Chad Tracy hit a two-run homer and Ryan Zimmerman went 1-for-3 with an RBI single in his first appearance of the spring as the Nationals beat the Cardinals 7-6.

Detwiler gave up one run on four hits and struck out four over two innings of work. He had a high pitch count throwing 51 during his stint, 31 for strikes on a cold, windy day.

“Obviously, the load falls on [Craig] Stammen’s shoulders there,” Detwiler said. “He came out and did well but it was a factor of the wind. I was missing up today but we got through it. This is just, make sure you are strong and make sure you are ready to go.”

Detwiler was working mainly on his off-speed pitches as he has said along he wants to work more on his progression of off-speed pitches.

I think I threw more off-speed pitches today in two innings than I did all year last year,” Detwiler said with a smile. “Suzuki said he was actually surprised it was actually pretty decent because I didn’t throw it at all last year.”

Despite the pitch count the results of his pitches were what mattered most to him before he heads off the WBC.

“Off-speed was looking good,” he said. “I threw one change-up that was really good and it was called a ball. I think it was a little low, but that’s where you want to miss.”

“I thought Det threw the ball really good. It was very tough out there, windy, getting a feel for the ball,” manager Davey Johnson said. “We were going to have him throw over 50 pitches and he managed to do that in two innings.”

Zimmerman contributes

Ryan Zimmerman made his first appearance of the spring. He hit clean-up as the designated hitter and went 1-for-3 with a bloop RBI single to right in the third inning off Jamie Garcia.

Zimmerman will be used as a DH until about the 18th of the month when he will start to see action in the field as he continues to recover from his surgically repaired shoulder.

Ramos also debuts

Nats catcher Wilson Ramos made his first plate appearances of the spring going 1-for-2 with a double in the ninth which started the Nats game winning rally. Ramos was not going to be allowed to participate in a game until he could convince doctors he was okay to run the bases on his surgically repaired right knee and more importantly, slide into a base.

“It feels good,” Ramos said of his knee. “I couple of weeks ago I was a little bit scared about my knee to slide but after I did, I felt my knee was strong and there was no pain or sore. That’s the reason I said to everyone, I’m ready to go.”

Johnson was also impressed, but had a feeling for some time that Ramos was ready to go but had to wait for him to be cleared by the medical staff.

“I was worried when he chopped that ball to third and was running real hard to first I was like, ‘Wil don’t run so hard,'” he said jokingly. “Then he looked good. There was a gale blowing in and he turned that around and he looked good running the bases. Thank goodness he hit it so far he didn’t have to slide.”

Walters comes through

Infielder Zach Walters came through with the RBI single which plated Sandy Leon with the game-winning run in the bottom of the 9th. Walters has four hits in 17 at bats and to get a walk off is just as big a thrill in a spring game as it is during the season.

“Any win feels special, especially a walk-off,” Walters said. “That’s what every kid things about when he’s six years old in his back yard. You know, bottom of the ninth, two outs and for me to do it in spring training is no different than if I would do it in the season.”

Nats send four pitchers to minor league camp

The Nationals reassigned left-handed pitchers Bill Bray, Brandon Mann and Will Ohman and right-handed pitcher Tanner Roark to minor league camp. That puts the Nats roster at 50.

“Once your pitchers basically go through a couple of time through the rotation you just start getting limited innings,” Johnson said. “In all their cases, and in Bray’s case, we felt like he could work out some of the mechanical problems under a less stressful situation and more regular work.”

Off day

It is for both the Nats and me on Monday. See ya Tuesday.

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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