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All-Star pitching matchup could be one to savor

By WTOP Staff

NOAH TRISTER
AP Baseball Writer

The starting pitching matchup at the All-Star game — whatever it ends up being — could be one for the ages.

Seattle’s Felix Hernandez looks like the front-runner in the American League, with a 10-2 record and a 2.11 ERA. Meanwhile, National League manager Mike Matheny of St. Louis could end up choosing between Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw (10-2, 1.85) and Cardinals star Adam Wainwright (11-4, 1.89) for the start.

The last time both All-Star starters had ERAs under 2.15 was back in 1974, according to STATS. Gaylord Perry (1.47 ERA at the break) took the mound for the AL against Andy Messersmith (2.11) of the NL.

Of course, that game wasn’t exactly a pitching duel. The NL won 7-2. Messersmith and Perry both went three innings, with Messersmith allowing two runs and Perry one. They both did go on to reach 20 wins that year.

New York Yankees sensation Masahiro Tanaka, another pitcher being mentioned as a possible starter in 2014, is expected to go in his team’s final game before the break, which would rule him out.

Wainwright is supposed to pitch Saturday, but he says participating in the July 15 All-Star game shouldn’t disrupt his schedule too much.

“It’s the All-Star Game,” Wainwright said. “Vacation, right? Except it means something.”

Here are five things to watch around the major leagues this week:

MARQUEE MATCHUP: The Los Angeles Dodgers visit Detroit for two games against the Tigers in what could be an interleague matchup of first-place teams. Detroit’s Max Scherzer and Los Angeles’ Zack Greinke — both All-Stars — take the mound Wednesday.

SMOKE AND MIRRORS?: San Diego right-hander Odrisamer Despaigne has walked eight and struck out only five in his first three big league starts, yet here he is with a 2-0 record and a 0.92 ERA. He’ll face Kershaw and the Dodgers on Thursday night. The Los Angeles lefty will try to extend his 36-inning scoreless streak.

SETTLING IN: It looks like a two-team race may finally be developing in the NL East, now that Miami has fallen off the pace a bit. Atlanta’s nine-game winning streak ended Sunday, but the Braves lead Washington by a half-game atop the division. Atlanta faces the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs this week, while the Nationals take on Baltimore and Philadelphia.

CATBIRD SEAT: It seems like everyone has had a turn as the team to beat in the AL East this year, and now it’s Baltimore leading the division by two games over Toronto. Nelson Cruz has lifted the Orioles with 27 homers. After four games against Washington this week, Baltimore hosts three against the New York Yankees.

REBUILDING: After trading Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to Oakland, the Chicago Cubs will obviously be shaking up their rotation this week. Tsuyoshi Wada is expected to make his major league debut as part of a doubleheader at Cincinnati on Tuesday. The Japanese left-hander has struck out about a batter an inning at Triple-A Iowa this season.

STAT OF THE WEEK: Kershaw threw eight scoreless innings against Colorado on Friday, his first start against the Rockies since he no-hit them June 18. In those two games against Colorado, Kershaw totaled 200 pitches, holding the Rockies to a .038 average with 23 strikeouts and one walk.

___

AP Sports Writer R.B. Fallstrom 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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