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Will Phillies, Rays be sellers before deadline?

By WTOP Staff

NOAH TRISTER
AP Baseball Writer

Jimmy Rollins became the Philadelphia Phillies’ career hits leader last week.

The question now is how much longer Rollins will be suiting up for the only major league team he’s known.

With the Phillies at the bottom of the NL East, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. may be tempted to move some of his top veterans and start the rebuilding process in earnest. As the trade deadline approaches at the end of next month, the spotlight will be on teams that have fallen out of contention — because they might still have valuable players they can swap for talented prospects.

Philadelphia could be the best example. Even at 35, Rollins has been solid at shortstop, and second baseman Chase Utley may be the team’s best hitter.

“I can’t say there are any untouchables,” Amaro told reporters recently. “Some guys are less touchable than others, so to speak.”

Rollins and Utley have been with the Phillies their whole careers, and they have veto rights on any trade. Right-hander Cliff Lee and closer Jonathan Papelbon may be more likely to go if Amaro decides to break up the roster.

Of course, the underwhelming Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals are complicating matters. Neither of the division’s favorites has been able to pull away, so right now the Phillies — as poorly as they’ve played — are only 6 1/2 games behind the first-place Braves.

The Chicago Cubs, meanwhile, are 11 1/2 back in the NL Central, so right-hander Jeff Samardzija could be elsewhere before too long. The floundering San Diego Padres can offer closer Huston Street, who has yet to blow a save in 2014.

The most surprising sellers might be the Tampa Bay Rays, who have been in the postseason four of the last six years but have plummeted to last place in the AL East. Star pitcher David Price, who can become a free agent after the 2015 season, has been the subject of trade speculation for a while. He’d be one of the top names on the market if available.

Here are five things to watch around the majors this week:

CENTRAL SHOWDOWN: The Kansas City Royals have won seven straight and trail Detroit by 1 1/2 games atop the AL Central. The Tigers won the season’s first five meetings between the teams by a combined 32-12, but Detroit has looked increasingly beatable lately. The Royals begin a four-game series in Motown on Monday night.

MARQUEE MATCHUP: Tim Hudson (1.81 ERA) of San Francisco faces Chris Sale of the White Sox (1.97) on Wednesday afternoon in Chicago. Sale has 68 strikeouts and nine walks on the year.

ROLE REVERSAL: From 1987-93, the Toronto Blue Jays finished ahead of the New York Yankees in the standings every year — but that hasn’t happened since. First-place Toronto now leads New York by 4 1/2 games in the AL East, with a three-game series at Yankee Stadium set to start Tuesday night.

BEST OF THE BUNCH?: The Braves and Nationals may not have separated themselves from the rest of their division so far, but the sense is that they’re still the most likely postseason candidates in the NL East. They begin a four-game series in Washington on Thursday night.

RISING STAR?: The debate over who is the National League’s best catcher has centered on Buster Posey of San Francisco and Yadier Molina of St. Louis. But Jonathan Lucroy is quietly emerging as a standout for NL Central-leading Milwaukee. He’s currently second in the league with a .336 average.

STAT OF THE WEEK: Atlanta closer Craig Kimbrel has struck out 431 hitters in 254 2-3 career innings. For context, consider that when Nolan Ryan set baseball’s modern single-season strikeout record in 1973, he fanned 383 in 326 innings.

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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