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Rangers put LH starters Harrison, Perez on DL

By WTOP Staff

HOUSTON (AP) — The Texas Rangers put left-handers Matt Harrison and Martin Perez on the disabled list Wednesday, and could be without both starters for an extended period.

General manager Jon Daniels said that Harrison was diagnosed with significant nerve irritation in his vertebrae. He will have an injection Friday in an attempt to alleviate the symptoms before considering other options, including surgery.

Harrison, who made only two starts last season before two operations on a herniated disk in his lower back, came out in the second inning of his start Tuesday night at Houston. Daniels said the pitcher had a tingling sensation down his left leg, similar to what he experienced before having surgery last year.

Perez has a partial tear of his ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow. He could have an injection and rehab that could keep him out three months, or possibly have Tommy John surgery and miss a year.

Right-hander Nick Tepesch was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock for his scheduled start Wednesday night against Houston. The Rangers also purchased the contracts of right-handers Scott Baker and Miles Mikolas from Round Rock, and designated right-hander Justin Germano for assignment.

Tepesch was starting in place of Yu Darvish, who threw 126 pitches in his near no-hitter Friday night. The Japanese ace was given extended rest and is set to start Friday at home against Toronto.

When Tepesch took the mound against the Astros, he became the 22nd different player to pitch for the Rangers this season and the 38th player overall. Both are the most in the majors.

Texas has 13 players on the disabled list. Among the other hurt Rangers is left-handed starter Derek Holland, who is rehabbing from offseason left knee surgery after being tripped by his dog on the stairs in his home.

Holland, who has been throwing live batting practice at the Rangers complex in Arizona, is scheduled to be in Arlington this weekend for an evaluation and to throw for Rangers coaches. He is still several weeks away from a possible return.

Perez allowed six runs and 14 runners (nine hits, four walks and a hit batter) in 3 2-3 innings of an 8-3 loss to Boston on Saturday night, and reported discomfort in his elbow the following day. Since the end of his 26-inning scoreless streak over three games, Perez (4-3) has given up 19 runs over 13 1-3 innings in his past three games.

Rangers team physician Dr. Keith Meister diagnosed the partial tear for Perez. Dr. James Andrews also reviewed the MRI and agreed that was the issue.

Harrison was examined Wednesday by Dr. Drew Dossett, who did the two operations last year.

Daniels said there was no evidence of disk herniation, but that the spondylolisthesis Harrison is now experiencing was considered a possible risk after the operations — “If it didn’t work as you would hope, this would be the outcome. Unfortunately, that’s come to pass,” the GM said.

The options for Harrison included rehab and to live with the problem or have surgery that Daniels described as spinal fusion.

Daniels said players have returned to the major leagues after have such fusions, but there are no guarantees.

“It’s more involved surgery and changes of coming back are lesser than some of the more traditional baseball surgeries,” Daniels said. “If he did opt to have surgery, he would be out for the year with a chance to rehab and come in and compete in spring training.”

Infielder Donnie Murphy (neck strain) and left-hander Joe Saunders (left ankle) are scheduled to begin injury rehabilitation assignments with Round Rock on Thursday night. It will be the first rehab game for Murphy and the third for Saunders, who made only his first start of the season for the Rangers.

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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