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Puig polishes game, goes on tear for Dodgers

By WTOP Staff

MIKE FITZPATRICK
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Yasiel Puig knew the question was coming.

What about that rocket throw to third base Tuesday night? The one you made when the inning was already over?

Before it was even translated into Spanish for him, the Los Angeles Dodgers slugger broke into the sheepish grin of a forgetful schoolboy who keeps getting sent to the principal’s office for the same silly offense.

And he was ready with a playful response: Blame it on teammate Juan Uribe.

See, only a few days before, Uribe and third base coach Lorenzo Bundy, who doubles as a translator for Puig, were marveling out loud about how the young right fielder hadn’t goofed in more than a week.

Turns out, they jinxed him! At least that’s the way Puig tells it.

“So when he made the mistake last night,” Bundy said Wednesday, “Juan came off the field, he was looking for me and he goes, ‘Lorenzo, he’s back! He’s back!'”

The Dodgers are accustomed to those sort of untamed miscues from Puig — over-exuberant baserunning, wild throws from the outfield, huge hacks at the plate.

They laughed off his latest gaffe against the New York Mets because it was harmless: Puig caught a routine fly for the third out and immediately whipped a laser beam across the diamond to hold an opposing runner who was only headed back to the bench.

Puig got razzed in the dugout, for sure. He may have forgotten how many outs there were, but he’s been right on point at the plate.

The second-year star from Cuba has hit safely in 18 of his last 19 games, batting .408 with seven homers and 23 RBIs during that stretch. He’s all over the National League leaderboard, ranking second in RBIs (37) and slugging percentage (.610), fourth in on-base percentage (.427) and fifth in home runs (10).

Puig credits Uribe and fellow teammate Adrian Gonzalez, among others, with helping him polish his game. He’s laying off bad pitches and having more disciplined at-bats. He’s hitting the cutoff man and eliminating fundamental mistakes on the bases.

“I just think he’s making adjustments,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. “Really his whole game has just matured, so I think that maturity has really been the key for him.”

All without losing the unique effervescence that’s already made him a fan favorite around the majors.

“Guys that love to play, you can just see it. And I think that’s what people love about Yasiel,” Mattingly said. “You get that Little League quality that’s just lovin’ playing baseball. And I think that’s what people really like seeing. A guy that plays hard with that energy, and then the talent.”

The 23-year-old Puig is a rare talent, indeed. That quickly became clear when he burst into the majors with a bang last June. But he’s also riled opponents with his antics on the field.

Some don’t like the way he flips his bat when he connects. Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner took exception to that this season and barked at Puig after he rounded third.

“It’s his style. It’s been a way that he’s played baseball for a long time,” Bundy said, translating for Puig. “He doesn’t really worry about the other team or what other players think about him — other than his team, our team.

“He says he tries to play the game hard, he tries to play the game happy. He wants to have a good time when he’s playing. He said this is a game of entertainment. He doesn’t really play it to offend people, but he does have a good time playing the game of baseball. But he doesn’t really worry about the opinions of other teams.”

Details of Puig’s dangerous escape from Cuba in June 2012 were revealed last month in a story first reported by Los Angeles Magazine. According to court documents in a federal lawsuit in Miami, smugglers who helped Puig leave his country on a speedboat have made death threats against him and a boxer who says he defected with Puig.

The outfielder signed a $42 million, seven-year contract with the Dodgers, a record for a Cuban defector. And in his first visit to Citi Field this week, Puig has put on quite a show.

He got three hits and reached base five times in Tuesday’s series-opening victory over the Mets. He and Hanley Ramirez hit back-to-back homers in a 4-3 win Wednesday night.

Asked if he’d had a chance to do any sightseeing in New York, Puig said he planned to get to the Statue of Liberty on Thursday and maybe the Empire State Building.

Wearing a white T-shirt with “PUIG” written in big red, white and blue letters, he said he’s still not used to all the attention and he misses his friends and former teammates in Cuba.

“I don’t think he’s in awe of being in the major leagues now. He feels like he belongs and he’s done the things that he needs to do,” Bundy said, again translating for Puig. “When you face major league pitching, it’s never easy, and you have to make the adjustments and that’s what he’s trying to do.”

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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