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Utley would rather remain in Philadelphia.

By WTOP Staff

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Chase Utley would prefer to remain with the Philadelphia Phillies, the team that drafted him 14 years ago.

With the Phillies last in the NL East at 42-53, it’s possible the team might try to deal veterans for prospects before the July 31 deadline for trades without waivers. A six-time All-Star, Utley is owed $15 million next season as part of a deal that contains options for $15 million in each of three additional years that could become guaranteed if he has 500 plate appearances in the previous season and doesn’t finish the season hurt.

“The grass isn’t always greener on the other side,” he said Monday. “I’ve picked some brains over the course of the last few years. I really enjoy Philadelphia. I love playing baseball in Citizens Bank Park. I love playing in front of Philly fans. There’s no better place to play in my opinion. Obviously winning is important and you want to do that, and I would like to do that in Philadelphia.”

While he wants to stay, he understands the Phillies may decide to clear out veterans.

“If someone at some point comes up to me and says you’re not wanted in Philadelphia anymore, I might have to rethink that,” he said. “I think if I was a betting man I would say probably there will be no change.”

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TAKE IT SLOW: The average time of a nine-inning game this season has been 3 hours, 3 minutes, which would be a record for a full season, according to STATS. Despite Major League Baseball’s efforts to speed the pace of games, the average is up four minutes from last years and 12 minutes since 2010.

That’s just fine with Milwaukee’s Jonathan Lucroy, the NL’s starting catcher.

“I don’t think you ever want to speed up games. I think you should leave the game the way it is. I think it’s fine. It’s been like that for 100 years,” he said. “Any time you try to speed up the game I think you’re going to run into some more issues. Guys are going to be getting hurt. They’re not going to be getting loose enough. And on a cold night, you’ve got to let guys get loose. You can’t just be going, ‘Hey, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go.’ Guys are going to get hurt. You’ve got to let guys take their time, man.”

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HAPPY HOMECOMING: St. Louis right-hander Pat Neshek was a surprise pick for the NL squad, and the selection by manager Mike Matheny made as much of an impression on everyone else as it did on Neshek.

“To watch Pat Neshek and watch his face when he made this club, probably the best memory without a doubt so far,” Matheny said.

The side-armer has allowed three runs in 38 1-3 innings as the primary setup man for the Cardinals, with only 17 hits and five walks against him. Matheny mentioned the importance of recognizing oft-ignored middle relievers in making his pick. But Neshek’s case was special, considering the All-Star game this year is at Target Field.

Neshek’s suburban high school in Brooklyn Park is less than 10 miles north of the ballpark. Neshek was drafted by the hometown Twins and debuted with stellar seasons in 2006 and 2007 before an elbow injury and surgery derailed his career. He caught on with San Diego in 2011 and then Oakland in ’12, when his son, Gehrig, died one day after birth.

So Neshek’s presence here has brought a smile to many faces.

“Personally and professionally, he was having some bad luck,” said former Twins teammate Glen Perkins, a reliever for the AL team and a fellow native of Minnesota. “It’s awesome. That’s quite a story that he’s here. I think everybody in Minnesota is excited that he’s here, and they should be.”

That includes Paul Neshek, his younger sibling who works on the Target Field grounds crew. Naturally, Paul Neshek will be stationed in the bullpen.

“Somehow he got that job for the game. He’s real excited,” Pat Neshek said.

As is his big brother.

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SPECIAL GUEST: Jill Biden, the wife of Vice President Joe Biden, planned to attend the All-Star game.

Her schedule included meeting the 30 winners of the “All-Star Teachers” program and joining them for a parade down Nicollet Mall, not far from the ballpark.

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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