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Granderson out of Mets’ lineup due to sore calf

By WTOP Staff

MIKE FITZPATRICK
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Curtis Granderson was out of the lineup with a sore left calf Thursday night, leaving the slumping New York Mets without their cleanup hitter.

Granderson has been one of the few productive bats in the lineup lately, reaching base safely in 23 consecutive games. He was replaced in the outfield by Andrew Brown against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Granderson said his calf began to bother him a little bit Wednesday, though he went 2 for 3 with a double and played the entire game. He said he doesn’t think it’s anything serious and he hopes to start Friday night against San Diego.

“Still barking a little bit, so better to be safe than sorry and take a day here. Heard a lot of stories of guys trying to push through it and the reward isn’t necessarily worth it,” Granderson said. “I didn’t feel anything negative. No pops, no snaps, no grabs, nothing like that. More just an annoyance and soreness right now.”

The three-time All-Star took batting practice and said he should be available to pinch-hit.

The Mets were missing all three starting outfielders because of injuries. Center fielder Juan Lagares (ribcage) and left fielder Eric Young Jr. (strained right hamstring) are on the disabled list.

Brown played left field, with struggling Chris Young in center and 40-year-old Bobby Abreu in right. Daniel Murphy batted leadoff for the first time since May 26, 2013, according to STATS.

Mets manager Terry Collins said it’s possible Murphy could become a fixture in the leadoff spot after batting second most of the season.

Collins was asked if juggling the lineup makes much of a difference.

“So far it hasn’t,” he said. “You’ve got to try something.”

Ranked near the bottom of the National League in home runs and slugging, New York had lost seven of eight while going 9 for 64 (.141) with runners in scoring position during that stretch.

Granderson got off to a miserable start in his first season with the Mets after signing a $60 million, four-year contract. But he’s come on lately and lifted his on-base percentage to .336 with eight homers and 30 RBIs.

He is 8 for 17 with two homers against Kyle Lohse, the Milwaukee starter.

“I don’t think any time is better,” Granderson said. “Whenever you do have to miss a game for something you can’t control, it’s always going to be considered bad timing.”

Young, sidelined since May 25, began a rehab assignment at Class-A St. Lucie. He went 1 for 4 with a walk and scored twice.

In other injury news, starting pitcher Dillon Gee (strained lat) is scheduled to throw off a mound this weekend and the club hopes to get him in a minor league game next week.

NOTES: Collins said Young will get transferred to Triple-A Las Vegas before rejoining the big league club. … 3B Zach Lutz was granted his release at Las Vegas so he can join the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in Japan.

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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