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Resilient Pirates looking for post All-Star surge

By WTOP Staff

WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates find themselves in an average, every day — if still heated — pennant race.

A season after shedding the yoke of two decades of failure with a stirring run to a playoff berth, the Pirates are just another solid if not spectacular team trying to keep pace in the jam-packed NL Central.

To be honest, being an ordinary contender is refreshing.

“We know where we stand, we know where we are, we know we have to play good baseball and we know it’s not a matter of changing the course of Pirates history anymore or having a winning season,” second baseman Neil Walker said. “Those things were important, but now we know what we need to do to get to the playoffs.”

And do it without what Walker called the “unnecessary pressure” Pittsburgh faced in 2013, when the Pirates won 94 games and advanced to the NL division series.

Rather than be reminded at every turn how bad the franchise has been, the Pirates have been free to spend the first half of 2014 sorting themselves out in relative anonymity.

After scuffling through April and dealing with a string of injuries to Walker, catcher Russell Martin, pitchers Gerrit Cole and Francisco Liriano, Pittsburgh begins the second half on Friday against Colorado just 3½ games behind front-running Milwaukee. Heady territory considering the Pirates were floundering eight games under .500 two months ago.

“We’re in a good spot right now,” Martin said.

Getting another MVP-worthy performance from center fielder Andrew McCutchen has helped. The All-Star is hitting .324, leads the NL in total bases and is on pace to set personal bests in home runs and RBIs.

Yet McCutchen is hardly doing it alone. Utility man Josh Harrison parlayed his ebullient play into an unlikely All-Star berth.

Rookie right fielder Gregory Polanco’s arrival on June 10 gave the club a needed boost. Pittsburgh is 19-13 in games the raw 6-foot-5 talent has stood next to McCutchen in the outfield. That’s hardly a coincidence.

Still, the Pirates understand they’ve been a mixed bag. The bullpen has blown 16 saves, the most in the majors.

Left fielder Starling Marte — who returned from bereavement leave on Thursday — has watched his confidence yo-yo with his spot in the batting order. The top end of the starting rotation, particularly Liriano, has struggled staying healthy.

Liriano was a revelation in 2013. Looking to rejuvenate his career, the left-hander did more than that while going 16-8 and earning a handful of Cy Young votes.

A year later, Liriano is just 1-7 with a 4.72 ERA, including four rusty innings against Cincinnati last Sunday in his return from the disabled list.

While journeymen Edinson Volquez and Vance Worley have helped stabilize things next to Charlie Morton and a resurgent Jeff Locke, Liriano understands if the Pirates are going to make a serious run at things he needs to be better.

“They count on me,” Liriano said. “I’m just going to do everything I can to keep the team in the game.”

It’s why Liriano spent his All-Star break trying to stay within his routine. He threw a bullpen session with his cousin and stressed he feels refreshed after three frustrating months.

“Now that I’m healthy, I think I can pitch a lot better than what I was pitching,” he said.

Particularly if he can find a way to do it against the teams the Pirates are chasing. Pittsburgh is a combined 13-26 against Milwaukee, St. Louis and Cincinnati. To provide another memorable September, that number has to improve.

“It’s been a stone in our shoe,” Walker said.

One Pittsburgh needs to shake loose. The Pirates will get a break from the NL Central to start the second half. They don’t face another division opponent until traveling to Milwaukee in late-August.

While Martin allows the playoff chase could be on life support by then if Pittsburgh can’t find a way to improve its road record (20-26), he’s not concerned.

Last fall showed the Pirates they could navigate the choppy and unpredictable waves of a pennant race, an experience Martin expects to pay off in the months ahead.

“The fact is, we’re in it,” he said. “We have a ton of games left against our own division and we’re getting stronger.”

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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