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Cespedes, Craig at Fenway after trade flurry

By WTOP Staff

JIMMY GOLEN
AP Sports Writer

BOSTON (AP) — If Yoenis Cespedes didn’t know much about the Boston Red Sox while growing up in Cuba, he found the perfect person to teach him all about the history of the franchise and its ballpark.

The ex-Oakland outfielder, who was traded to Boston for Jon Lester and Jonny Gomes on Thursday, spoke with fellow Cuban and former Red Sox pitcher Luis Tiant in the Fenway Park clubhouse before Friday night’s game against the New York Yankees.

“I’m very happy to share part of my career with the Red Sox, with such a legendary team,” Cespedes said through an interpreter in a pregame meeting with reporters. “The legend of Fenway Park precedes itself.”

Mired in last place in the AL East after losing eight of their previous nine games, the 2013 World Series champions gave up on their title defense by trading away four-fifths of the starting rotation they opened the season with. Having sent Jake Peavy to San Francisco last week, the Red Sox traded Lester and Gomes to the A’s, righty John Lackey to the Cardinals for outfielder Allen Craig and Felix Doubront to the Cubs for a player to be named.

Also shipped out were shortstop Stephen Drew, and lefty reliever Andrew Miller. But Red Sox manager John Farrell said all the moves should not signal a surrender — even though Friday night’s lineup against their archrivals featured four rookies plus starting pitcher Anthony Ranaudo, who was making his major league debut.

“There’s a different mood because we’ve got probably one-third of a new team,” Farrell said after the 4-3 victory over the Yankees that was just Boston’s second win in 10 games. “There’s a lot of enthusiasm with the guys we brought in. We’re looking forward to seeing Yoenis tomorrow.”

Craig was in the lineup against the Yankees, lacing a double down the left-field line in Boston’s two-run third inning in his first appearance at Fenway Park since the Red Sox beat the Cardinals in the World Series. Craig was part of one of the most memorable endings in Series history when he was awarded the winning run without touching home plate after he was tripped by Boston third baseman Will Middlebrooks in Game 3.

Middlebrooks and Craig now have lockers near each other in the Red Sox clubhouse.

And they weren’t the only players introducing themselves.

The Red Sox recalled Ranaudo, who earned the victory in his major-league debut against the team he grew up watching as a kid in New Jersey. Also called up from Triple-A Pawtucket on Friday were outfielder Mookie Betts, left-hander Tommy Layne and right-hander Alex Wilson. Middlebrooks was activated from the 15-day disabled list.

“I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a lot of emotion going on out there,” said Ranaudo, who struck out Derek Jeter, his onetime favorite player, in the third inning for his first major league strikeout. “I wasn’t the only new face in the clubhouse today. It was good to be a part of, and hopefully I can be a part of that in the future.”

Saying goodbye were outfielder Shane Victorino, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a lower back strain, and first baseman-outfielder Mike Carp, who had complained about his diminishing role, was designated for assignment.

Drew made his Yankees debut at Fenway, receiving a warm ovation after a highlight video. His manager, Joe Girardi, said he thought all the activity on Thursday was good for baseball because it kept fans talking about the sport.

And the fact that two top pitchers had left the division?

“Nothing wrong with that,” Girardi said.

___

AP Sports Writer Janie McCauley contributed to this story from Oakland.

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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