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Price, Lester, Lackey traded in deadline flurry

By WTOP Staff

The Associated Press

Baseball fans were still trying to sort out the dizzying deals for postseason aces Jon Lester and John Lackey, Home Run Derby champ Yoenis Cespedes and All-Star shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera when they were treated to a most curious sight Thursday.

In the seventh inning of a tight game at Comerica Park — with the bases loaded, no less — Detroit center fielder Austin Jackson suddenly trotted from his position to the dugout.

He was on his way out of town, too, in a blockbuster, three-team swap that brought former Cy Young winner David Price to the AL Central-leading Tigers.

A whopping 18 teams began the day within five games of playoff position, resulting in a dozen deals shortly before Major League Baseball’s 4 p.m. EDT trade deadline.

The World Series champion Boston Red Sox, mired in last place, were the most busy. They sent Lester and outfielder Jonny Gomes to AL West-leading Oakland for Cespedes, traded Lackey to St. Louis, dealt shortstop Stephen Drew to the Yankees and moved pitcher Andrew Miller to Baltimore.

The Miami Marlins, often sellers as deadline day approaches, became buyers when they acquired pitcher Jarred Cosart from Houston in a six-player trade.

Teams can still make trades through Aug. 31 to have players eligible for the postseason, but it becomes more tricky. Now a player must first clear waivers, meaning every club in the majors has a chance to claim him before he can be traded.

All the action off the field Thursday made for great fun for fans, plus some heated up pennant races.

A look at the deals, and what they meant:

SEE YA, SAWX

A year after winning their third crown in a decade, Boston bailed out. The Red Sox picked Oakland as the landing spot for the coveted Lester, then paired up with the team they beat in the World Series last October to swap Lackey for Cardinals pitcher Joe Kelly and outfielder Allen Craig.

“It speaks to where we are as a team,” Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington said. “There’s nothing sort of celebratory about this. These moves are made because, collectively as an organization, we haven’t performed well enough, in this year anyway.”

STRAIGHT A’S

Looking for its first World Series title since 1989, Oakland kept dealing. After getting pitchers Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel from the Cubs in July, the team with the best record in the majors added Lester and outfielders Jonny Gomes and Sam Fuld. The Athletics had one leftover issue: They were set to give away 10,000 T-shirts at Saturday’s game that honored Cespedes, and they plan to hand them out.

PRICE IS RIGHT

A lot of teams wanted the 28-year-old lefty ace, who now joins fellow Cy Young winners Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander in Motown. In the three-team deal, Jackson went to Seattle while pitcher Drew Smyly and minor league infielder Willy Adames joined Tampa Bay. Price (11-8, 3.11 ERA) recently won six straight starts, and he isn’t eligible for free agency until after the 2015 season, boosting his chances to help bring Detroit its first championship since 1984.

“The question that we asked ourselves is: What gives us the best chance of winning the world championship this year?” General manager Dave Dombrowski said. “We thought adding him to our rotation at this point would give us the best chance to do that.”

THE SON WILL STILL SHINE

Cabrera teared up in the Cleveland clubhouse as he talked about being traded to NL East-leading Washington for infielder Zach Walters. The trade came a day after the Indians sent pitcher Justin Masterson to the Cardinals.

“I had fun here,” Cabrera said. “This was the team that gave me the opportunity to play. It’s hard … it’s hard. It was like I grew up here.”

“That’s the business,” he said. “It surprised me a little bit, but there is nothing I could do. I knew this was going to be possible. Today when I got here, I didn’t even know it was happening.”

While Cabrera got emotional, it was another day at the park for his 7-year-old son, Meyer. Wearing an Indians jersey, he played catch on the field while his father’s former teammates took batting practice before their game against Seattle.

MORE TO COME?

Chase Headley, Jake Peavy, Huston Street, Joakim Soria and others were dealt well before the trade deadline. And if history is any guide, there will be at least a couple more trades before September. Philadelphia left-hander Cole Hamels drew plenty of interest leading up to Thursday, and could be in play.

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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