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Marlins’ Fernandez has elbow tear, surgery looms

By WTOP Staff

JOE RESNICK
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Marlins got the news they’d been dreading since Sunday, when ace Jose Fernandez was scratched from his regular bullpen session in San Diego: He is probably going to miss the rest of the season.

Miami’s 7-1 loss to Josh Beckett and the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night was overshadowed by the announcement team president Michael Hill made in the Dodger Stadium press box during the third inning. Hill said Marlins doctor Lee Kaplan had recommended Tommy John surgery to repair a significant tear in Fernandez’s right elbow.

“Getting the confirmation that we all obviously didn’t want is a big blow for us, for the team and for the organization,” manager Mike Redmond said. “I know he’s going through some tough decisions, but we know he’ll get himself fixed up and we’ll get him back as soon as we can.”

The 21-year-old Fernandez, last season’s NL Rookie of the Year, is 4-2 with a 2.44 ERA in eight starts.

“Pitching’s a precious commodity and we’ve always tried to be very careful with it. So you try to err on the side of caution,” Hill said. “We’ve done everything we’ve thought was the right thing, as to how we’ve handled him. It’s just one of those things that happened.”

Fernandez would be the latest star pitcher in the majors to have Tommy John surgery this year. The recovery time for the elbow ligament transplant procedure can be 12 to 18 months. The Marlins put Fernandez ace on the 15-day disabled list Monday.

“I’m sure he feels like he’s letting his teammates down because he got hurt, and all the things that come with the type of competitor he is,” Redmond said. “But all we really want is for him to be OK and getting himself healthy and getting back to the ballclub. That’s the important thing.”

Fernandez is visiting with family to talk about his options with surgery looming.

“He didn’t really give us an idea of when,” Hill said. “Obviously, a lot has gone on the past few days, so for him it’s a lot to take in and a lot to absorb. So he’s just taking the time to digest all the information he’s been given from both doctors.

“From what the doctors saw, they did not want to go the rehab route. They felt like surgery was the best option, and that was the recommendation. Hopefully, we can make that call and get things set up and get it taken care of so we can get him on the road to rehab,” Hill added.

Right-hander Anthony DeSclafani will be promoted from the minors to start Wednesday night in his major league debut.

“He’s a guy that’s done well in the minor leagues and we felt like he was probably the most ready to make the start,” Redmond said.

Beckett spent his first five big league seasons with the Marlins and was the World Series MVP with them in 2003. He empathized with Fernandez and the long road back that lies ahead.

“He’s got a wipeout slider. I don’t know how long he’s been throwing that, but it puts a lot more stress on your elbow,” Beckett said. “The one good thing about that surgery — for the most part — is that people come back from it and they know how to rehab that. From what I hear from everybody over there, he’s a diligent worker. The rehab’s already written out. He just has to go through the surgery.

“If it was a shoulder or something like that, I think it would be a little bit bigger issue,” Beckett said. “So he’ll be back full strength next year. Obviously they’re going to miss his leadership and what he brings to the ballpark on the days he pitches and the days he doesn’t. He brings the ‘Puig factor’ to that ballclub.”

Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig extended his career-best hitting streak to 13 games with two hits, including an RBI double. It was Puig bobblehead night at Dodger Stadium and the outfielder caught a ceremonial first pitch from his mother, Maritza.

Beckett (1-1) gave up an unearned run and four hits over 6 2-3 innings, striking out six and walking three. The three-time All-Star was 0-6 in 14 starts since beating Colorado 7-1 at Dodger Stadium on Sept. 30, 2012.

“You can’t help but think about it after a while,” Beckett said. “I mean, I know I was only about halfway to the record, but even to get halfway there is kind of tough. But I knew if I kept making pitches, this team was bound to score some runs. This lineup we’re running out there every day is pretty good.”

Jacob Turner (0-1) gave up four earned runs in 5 1-3 innings and is winless in 16 starts since last July. He is 0-10 in 17 career starts on the road with a 3.97 ERA.

“They put good swings on the ball,” Turner said. “There were some pitches I made that weren’t in spots I was trying to go, and a good lineup like that is going to capitalize on it.”

NOTES: After the game, the Marlins designated RHP Henry Rodriguez for assignment and optioned LHP Dan Jennings to Triple-A New Orleans. … Marlins RF Giancarlo Stanton extended his hitting streak to 15 games with an infield single in the fourth.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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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