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Seattle’s arms trending toward record season

By WTOP Staff

TIM BOOTH
AP Sports Writer

SEATTLE (AP) — This is how good Felix Hernandez has pitched in making himself the clear leader for a second Cy Young award.

The ace of the Seattle Mariners has set the pace for a pitching staff that’s on a record pace not seen from an American League team in 40 years and is the reason that Seattle is playing meaningful baseball in August for the first time in seven years.

Seattle is in the mix for the second wild card in the American League after winning eight of nine and it’s because of a pitching staff that has a combined 2.95 ERA, led by the brilliance of Hernandez.

“I think we’re all just worried about doing our jobs and if we go out and do our jobs one pitch at a time that stuff all takes care of itself,” said starter Chris Young, signed by Seattle at the end of spring training and now with 11 victories.

Since the introduction of the designated hitter in 1973, no American League team has posted a lower ERA in a non-strike season than the Mariners have currently. The 1974 Oakland Athletics, with a pitching staff that included Catfish Hunter, Vida Blue and Rollie Fingers, finished the year with a 2.95 ERA. The Los Angeles Dodgers in 1989 were the last team in either league to finish the season with a sub-3.00 ERA.

The Mariners currently stand below that line after sweeping Toronto at home, giving up six runs in the series, and head to Detroit for a big three-game series starting Friday. Saturday’s matchup will feature Hernandez facing off against David Price for the first time. Seattle is 10 games over .500 for the first time since the final day of the 2007 season, when Seattle finished the year 87-75.

Back in spring training, Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon preached that pitching would be the foundation in trying to get Seattle back to respectability.

“I can’t say I knew we’d be this good,” McClendon said. “This is historical.”

Hernandez has gone 16 straight starts pitching at least seven innings and giving up two or fewer runs and has lowered his ERA to 1.95. His streak represents an accomplishment that doesn’t even have an official title and that hadn’t been matched since Gaylord Perry in 1974. The team has taken to referring to Hernandez’s streak as an “Ultra Quality Start” although at the rate he’s going it might as well be called “The Felix.”

“I’m running out of words for Felix,” McClendon said.

Hernandez is the pinnacle. Young has revitalized his career with a 3.20 ERA after not pitching in the majors in 2013 following shoulder surgery. Hisashi Iwakuma overcame a late start to the season and also has 11 wins. Rookie Roenis Elias has been a serviceable fourth starter after never pitching higher than Double-A before this season. And that group is backed by the best bullpen in the American League.

It’s a remarkable run of pitching and it could get even better.

McClendon said the return of James Paxton recently from injury is almost equivalent to a free agent signing in the middle of the season. Paxton started the season in the rotation before a lat muscle injury and setbacks put him on the disabled list for more than three months.

In his two starts since returning, Paxton has allowed three earned runs.

“He can keep a roll going for us,” McClendon said. “He can stretch those winning streaks out. If you look at our rotation throughout the year, the guy in the five hole has not been very successful. It’s been patchwork. This guy can patch it, and it doesn’t come loose.”

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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