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Jeter pulled early, Yankees hold off Mets 1-0

By WTOP Staff

HOWIE RUMBERG
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Derek Jeter received warm ovations from the 40,133 at Citi Field when he jogged onto the field during warmups, as a video tribute to him was shown on the scoreboard after the national anthem and before each of his four at-bats.

There was little fanfare, though, when the Yankees captain was taken out of his final regular-season Subway Series game in the eighth inning.

Jeter watched the last four outs from the bench, pulled off the field during a double switch Thursday night as the Yankees held off the Mets 1-0.

“I just told him I’m going to make a double-switch. It’s where we are in the lineup; that’s how you do it,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of the conversation on the mound with two outs in the eighth. “He understands.”

It’s not the first time Jeter had been removed in a double switch in his 133 games at a NL ballpark. He was taken out by Girardi in 2010 and he was lifted by Joe Torre in 2007, according to STATS.

David Robertson didn’t even know he was brought in to face David Wright in a double switch that lifted Jeter until he got Wright to ground out to Jeter’s replacement at shortstop, defensive whiz Brendan Ryan, with runners at the corners. Robertson pitched a perfect ninth for his seventh save.

Six weeks shy of his 40th birthday, Jeter left after an 0-for-4 night that dropped his batting average to .254.

Alfonso Soriano’s RBI double in the seventh broke up a scoreless duel at Citi Field between starting pitchers making their major league debuts. Rookie reliever Dellin Betances struck out six straight hitters as the Yankees earned a split of this year’s series between crosstown rivals with their second straight shutout.

“It’s impressive,” Wright said of Betances. “He had his way with us for sure.”

In a matchup of late-round picks in the 2010 draft, Yankees starter Chase Whitley (15th round) pitched two-hit ball for 4 2-3 innings, striking out four and walking two. Mets starter Jacob deGrom (ninth round) allowed one run and four hits in seven innings, striking out six and walking two.

“It was unbelievable to watch that guy,” Whitley said of deGrom. “He pitched a heck of a game.”

In addition to a commanding performance on the mound, the 25-year-old deGrom helped Mets pitchers end an unusual record for futility. He lined a single to center field in the third inning to end the staff’s 0-for-64 start to the season. The Mets had long passed a century-old record established by the St. Louis Browns. They went hitless in 45 at-bats in 1914, according to information provided by the Mets from the Elias Sports Bureau.

Whitley also got a hit in his first at-bat — even before he allowed a hit.

“I was bragging about my hitting before the game,” Whitley said, “but then I gave one right back to that guy.”

Young pitchers dominated the series in both games at spacious Citi Field after two slugfests in the Bronx. Masahiro Tanaka pitched his first major league shutout Wednesday, a 4-0 win for the Yankees.

After Rafael Montero started his big league career with a fine six-inning performance against Tanaka, deGrom distinguished himself.

“It’s amazing. You can’t say enough good things about those two guys,” Wright said.

It’s been 12 years since a team had pitchers make their big league debuts in consecutive games. Milwaukee did it Sept. 2-3, 2002.

Jeter was honored by the Mets before the game. He received several subway-themed gifts, including a “Cake Boss” creation and a No. 2 mosaic made of subway tiles. The Mets Foundation gave Jeter a $22,222.22 donation to his Turn 2 Foundation.

But he did little at the plate. He lined into a double play in the third with runners on first and second. Then with two on in the eighth, he hit a grounder to shortstop Ruben Tejada, who threw home for a tag play at the plate to keep the score 1-0.

“There’s a time when the respect for the game takes over and you can’t do what you once did,” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “The game deserves all you can give it, and if it’s not there you got to step aside. Some guys have a tough time doing it but the really great ones don’t.”

Soriano lined a double to left-center and catcher Brian McCann scored from first, sliding home as Tejada’s relay forced catcher Juan Centeno to leap for it. McCann reached when first baseman Lucas Duda failed to scoop Wright’s relay on a potential double-play grounder.

Up until then, the Yankees had little success against the shaggy-haired deGrom. The former college shortstop was initially called up to pitch out of the bullpen, but got the start in place of Dillon Gee, who pulled a lat muscle.

The 24-year-old Whitley was not even on the Yankees’ 40-man roster this winter, but with starters CC Sabathia, Michael Pineda and Ivan Nova all injured, he got the call after just 13 Triple-A starts over three seasons.

NOTES: Wright struck out three times. … Jeter finished with a .364 career regular-season average against the Mets with 13 homers and 44 RBIs in 360 at-bats. … The Yankees placed OF Carlos Beltran (bone spur) on the 15-day DL. He felt a sharp pain in his right elbow taking practice swings Monday … Former Mets closer John Franco threw out the ceremonial first pitch. … Mets C Travis D’Arnaud was placed on the 7-day concussion list.

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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