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Yankees acquire McCarthy from Diamondbacks

By WTOP Staff

CHARLES ODUM
AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA (AP) — The New York Yankees acquired help for their depleted rotation on Sunday by acquiring veteran right-hander Brandon McCarthy from Arizona.

The Diamondbacks also are sending New York cash in Sunday’s deal for left-hander Vidal Nuno.

The move comes after Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia had a setback with a degenerative cartilage problem in his right knee. New York was unable to work out a trade this week for the Cubs’ Jeff Samardzija, who instead was dealt to Oakland.

McCarthy, who turns 31 on Monday, was 3-10 with a 5.01 ERA with Arizona this season. In nine seasons with the White Sox, Rangers, A’s and Diamondbacks, McCarthy is 45-60 with a 4.21 ERA.

“McCarthy is an experienced starter that we expect to pitch well for us,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “I know he’s had his struggles, but he’s seemed to turn it around. He has a good arm. His last few starts have been pretty good.”

McCarthy won his past two starts, allowing a combined total of three runs in wins over the Padres and Pirates. He opened the season with six straight losses.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman sought an upgrade to the rotation for weeks. Sabathia is out indefinitely, possibly for the season, and the Yankees also lost Ivan Nova to Tommy John surgery.

McCarthy said he was informed of the deal after he reported for Sunday’s game against the Braves. He will leave the last-place Diamondbacks and join a playoff race with New York.

“It’s something I’m really excited about,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy said he is sad to be leaving Arizona, but added the move to New York is special.

“It’s still the Yankees, no matter what,” McCarthy said. “If you don’t know baseball, you know the Yankees.”

McCarthy planned to fly from Atlanta to meet the Yankees in Cleveland, where they open a series on Monday.

Nuno, 26, was 2-5 with a 5.42 ERA in 17 games, including 14 starts, with the Yankees. He was hurt by allowing 15 homers — including 13 at home — in 78 innings this season.

Nuno said the trade gives him “another journey that I’m going to pursue in Arizona.”

“I have to prove myself out there, starting on Tuesday,” said Nuno, who is a native of San Diego.

“It’s not disappointing, it’s part of baseball. It is what it is, close to home, family see me a little bit more. The journey of coming up here, getting to major leagues and all the opportunities I got. I appreciate everything they gave me and all the learning experience.”

Girardi said it was difficult to see Nuno leave.

“It’s been kind of a tough day,” Girardi said. “Nuno did a great job for us, stepped in and did a good job for us last year. But it’s an opportunity for him to start in Arizona and I know he appreciates that as well.”

McCarthy, a groundball pitcher, may be better suited for Yankee Stadium.

The Diamondbacks have made two trades in as many days. On Saturday, Arizona acquired two minor leaguers, outfielder Zach Borenstein and right-hander Joey Krehbiel, from the Los Angeles Angels for left-hander Joe Thatcher and outfielder Tony Campana.

More moves may be coming for Arizona.

“We’re going to start retooling, it looks like,” Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said Sunday. Gibson called the approach “a different mindset.”

Gibson said Nuno will make his debut with Arizona on Tuesday against Miami. Nuno had been scheduled to start for the Yankees on Monday, and Gibson said he wanted to give the young left-hander an extra day to adjust to his new team.

Girardi said he didn’t immediately have a replacement starter for Nuno in Monday’s game.

“I’m not exactly sure when McCarthy will be here,” Girardi said. “He won’t start (Monday). We’ll fit him into the rotation somewhere.”

The Yankees also called up right-hander Bruce Billings from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Outfielder Alfonso Soriano was designated for assignment.

___

AP correspondents Amy Jinkner-Lloyd in Atlanta and Brian Hall in Minneapolis contributed to this report.

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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