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Mets place Niese on DL with left shoulder strain

By WTOP Staff

HOWIE RUMBERG
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets placed left-hander Jonathon Niese on the 15-day disabled list Sunday, hoping a brief rest will help fight fatigue in his shoulder.

Manager Terry Collins said before the Mets faced Texas that they had recently noticed a drop-off in the crispness of some of his pitches.

Niese missed six weeks last season with a partial tear in his rotator cuff and was sidelined this spring with shoulder weakness, but Collins insists the team is just being cautious with its most consistent starter.

“There’s no discomfort, no pain like last year,” Collins said. “You don’t need radar guns to tell you there’s something going on here.”

Niese agreed with the move because he’s been having trouble for about six weeks, but said this break is nothing like his DL stint last year.

“It finally caught up with me,” Niese said. “It’s something I can pitch through … I think this is as good as any to take a break.”

The Mets recalled reliever Buddy Carlyle from Triple-A Las Vegas but he’s likely a placeholder for starter Dillon Gee. The right-hander has been on the disabled list since May 11 because of a strained right lat muscle.

Gee has made three rehabilitation starts, and Collins said Gee’s readiness to start in Niese’s place Wednesday factored into the decision to DL Niese.

After the Mets’ 8-4 win Sunday, Collins said Gee felt great after a bullpen session and he should start Wednesday.

With the All-Star break starting after games next Sunday, Niese should miss only one start.

The Mets hope the rest will help Niese have a strong second half in a similar fashion to his return from the DL last season. He came back on Aug 11 and went 5-2 with a 3.00 ERA the rest of the way.

“Last year when he rested his shoulder, the second half was huge,” Collins said. “His second half last year was outstanding, after we took time to get his strength back. I told him, ‘You’ll have 15 starts left, go win 10 of them.'”

Niese was slowed by shoulder trouble and elbow inflammation this spring. He didn’t make his first start until April 6.

But he’s been the team’s most reliable starter this season, going 5-4 with a 2.96 ERA in 17 starts.

The left-hander was hit in the side by Alex Rios’ liner in his start Friday. He told Collins he was fine, but was removed anyway without trying a warmup pitch. Collins, though, said this move was not related to that.

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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