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Texas adds RHP Jerome Williams after loss to Yanks

By WTOP Staff

NEW YORK (AP) — The Texas Rangers are using pitchers at such a dizzying rate this season that it’s becoming a challenge for manager Ron Washington to keep track of them all.

So what about a fresh scouting report on Friday night’s starter? Did the team provide any advance word on the new guy?

“Naw, nothing,” Washington said after the New York Yankees beat Texas 4-2 Thursday.

Following its latest loss, the club with the worst record in the majors announced it would add right-hander Jerome Williams and start him in the series opener at home against AL West-leading Oakland.

“We signed him, he’s ready to go. We’ll take a look at him tomorrow and see if he can help us,” Washington said.

“I know Jerome Williams, faced him enough times to know what he’s capable of. We’ll see what he has to offer,” he said.

Colby Lewis (6-8) kept the Rangers close, but there was a familiar result.

Texas fell to 3-17 in July and dropped 22 games under .500 for the first time since the final week of the 1988 season.

“Right now, we’re just not getting it done,” Washington said.

The 32-year-old Williams was released by Houston earlier this month after going 1-4 with a 6.04 ERA in 26 relief appearances. He signed with Texas and went 0-1 with a 6.10 ERA in two starts at Triple-A Round Rock.

Williams is 43-51 with a 4.45 ERA in nine seasons with San Francisco, the Cubs, Washington, the Angels and Astros. The Rangers will purchase his contract from Triple-A and make a corresponding roster move.

Texas has a 4.84 ERA, the highest in the AL and almost a half-run over anyone else in the league.

Beset by injuries, the Rangers set a big league record by using 30 pitchers before the All-Star break.

The Rangers have already tied a team mark for most pitchers in a season, and they added another newcomer to the roster before Thursday’s game by promoting reliever Nate Adcock from Triple-A.

Brandon McCarthy improved to 2-0 with a 1.45 ERA in three starts since the Yankees got him in a deal with Arizona earlier this month. He was 3-10 with a 5.01 ERA at the time of the trade.

McCarthy limited Texas to one run and four hits. He struck out five, and fanned Alex Rios to finish off an 11-pitch at-bat that ended the first inning.

Rios almost got even in the eighth with Texas trailing 3-2, hitting a drive off All-Star reliever Dellin Betances that was caught on the warning track in right field.

David Robertson pitched the ninth for his 25th save in 27 chances.

Lewis (6-8) gave up three runs and four hits in 6 1-3 innings. He took the loss, but kept his composure — in his previous start, he got rankled when Toronto’s Colby Rasmus bunted for a two-out single midway through the game.

There were no problems with the field at Yankee Stadium, either. New York won 2-1 Wednesday night when a sudden, heavy storm prevented the grounds crew from quickly putting the tarp down in the fifth inning. The rain stopped soon enough, but the field was too wet to continue.

Texas took a 1-0 lead in the third on an RBI single by Elvis Andrus. J.P. Arencibia homered in the Texas seventh.

NOTES: A day after Texas traded closer Joakim Soria to Detroit, RHP Neftali Feliz will inherit the role for the time being, Washington said. “I’m going to have a conversation with Nefti about becoming the closer,” he said. … RHP Yu Darvish will remain on regular rest after pitching 4 1-3 innings in the rain-shortened loss, Washington said. … Texas pitching coach Mike Maddux will miss the weekend series vs. Oakland to see brother Greg inducted into the Hall of Fame. Bullpen coach Andy Hawkins will fill in for Maddux, and Triple-A pitching coach Brad Holman will be the bullpen coach for the three games against the A’s.

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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