Skip to main content

Derby contestant Morneau makes return to Minnesota

By WTOP Staff

DAVE CAMPBELL
AP Sports Writer

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The decision for the final spot on the National League home run derby squad was a simple call for captain Troy Tulowitzki.

Justin Morneau, his Colorado teammate, had the chance to go back to his baseball home.

“He’s a pro, and I guess that’s the best way to describe him,” Tulowitzki said. “I picked him as an easy choice. He’s meant so much to the fans here in Minnesota. It’s a great story. He’s had a great first half for us. He very well could be on this All-Star team, and he should be.”

Morneau will always have the Twins fan vote. He was moved by the crowd’s raucous reaction when he came to the plate on Monday night.

“It was real close to getting some tears in the eyes at the beginning,” he said. “It’s hard to prepare yourself for something like that, but it was definitely awesome. It’s something I’ll never forget.”

Morneau missed out on the All-Star game itself, despite a renaissance season with 13 homers, 60 RBIs and a .312 batting average in his first 89 games for the Rockies. But as a former home run derby champion and a four-time All-Star with the Twins before a concussion derailed his career, Morneau seemed destined to be at the festivities this week at Target Field, in some form.

“I’m happy for him. I know what he went through over the last few years. I’m happy to see him smiling again and playing baseball and not having to worry about the stuff he had to worry about. It’s pretty cool,” said Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, who’s a coach for the AL team.

Morneau was traded by the Twins last summer to the Pittsburgh Pirates and signed with Colorado over the winter. He played 10 years for Minnesota. The 2006 AL MVP was well on his way to contending for another one in July 2010, when he took a knee to the head in a collision at second base while trying to break up a double play. Morneau wasn’t able to play every day again until 2012. He didn’t rediscover his powerful left-handed swing again until this year.

“I don’t think I’d play anymore if I didn’t believe I could get back to this point, but there were times when I wasn’t sure whether I’d be able to get back here,” Morneau said Monday. “I just wasn’t getting better. I was going through the ups and downs, getting better for a couple days, then kind of going backward. It was a really frustrating process. That just really helped me appreciate the good times that much more. I don’t want to say I took them for granted, but it was one of those things when you’re young and you’re doing well, you just keep expecting yourself to do well.”

Morneau, who overtook Josh Hamilton in 2008 to win the home run derby at Yankee Stadium in New York, said he woke up Monday and immediately checked the weather forecast for the wind speed and direction.

“Hoping it was blowing out to right,” Morneau said, smiling.

There wasn’t much of a breeze when the event finally started following a 54-minute rain delay, but Morneau hit a couple of balls into the seats in right field in his at-bat. He tied Cincinnati’s Todd Frazier with two apiece in the first round, but Frazier hit one more in a three-swing tiebreaker and Morneau didn’t come close to one. Still, the fans at Target Field, on their feet the whole time he was at the plate, cheered him once more as he tipped his cap in appreciation.

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote