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Indians place Bourn on DL with strained hamstring

By WTOP Staff

CLEVELAND (AP) — Michael Bourn’s lingering hamstring injury has sidelined him again.

The Cleveland Indians placed their leadoff hitter and center fielder on the 15-day disabled list after he re-injured his left leg Saturday night.

Bourn has been battling the injury since late season, and the problem won’t go away.

“I don’t want to go on the DL, but I know it’s the best thing for me,” he said. “It’s sore. I can’t say it’s not sore. I know it’s sore.”

Bourn had surgery on the hamstring in October and had a setback in spring training. He began the season on the DL, missing the first 13 games.

Bourn injured the hamstring again on May 3 and missed four games. He was removed from Saturday’s game in the eighth inning after his leg tightened up while scoring from second base on a single by Michael Brantley.

“I slowed down when I was two steps from third,” Bourn said. “I knew right then.”

Bourn was scheduled to have an MRI on Sunday.

“Best-case scenario he wouldn’t have to come back until next weekend, and with the All-Star break starting (next) Monday, and having four days off, we felt this was the best way to go,” Indians manager Terry Francona said.

Bourn’s latest setback is a blow to the Indians, who are trying to stay in contention in the AL Central. Cleveland’s offense has struggled most of the season and Francona will have to juggle his lineup without Bourn, who is batting .267 with seven stolen bases and 37 runs scored in 66 games.

Jason Kipnis batted leadoff Sunday against Kansas City while Brantley moved from left field to center.

Francona doesn’t think the injury is a chronic issue for Bourn, who signed a four-year, $48 million contract prior to last season.

“He hurt it, he got it fixed,” Francona said. “He’s had it a couple of times since. This is going to cost him eight or nine games. This is not a season-ending injury.”

Bourn was optimistic the injury was finally behind him.

“It felt real good,” he said. “It’s probably the best it’s felt throughout the whole thing. I was excited about it, then this happens. I started feeling really good about two weeks ago. I felt like my legs were under me like they normally are. Now I have to go back to square one.”

Outfielder Tyler Holt was called up from Triple-A Columbus. He began the season at Double-A Akron and is hitting .302 in the minors this season.

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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