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Expanded rosters give managers more flexibility

By WTOP Staff

NOAH TRISTER
AP Baseball Writer

The Cleveland Indians have played their way back into the thick of the playoff race, but the grind is only beginning.

Manager Terry Francona’s team does not have another off day on the schedule until Sept. 25. That’s a full month after Cleveland’s previous off day, which was Aug. 25.

So yes, Francona has been looking forward to the chance to expand his roster in September.

“It’ll help. Bullpen arms are always welcome,” he said. “We’re not taking guys out of their roles. Some of the call-ups will give us more options on our bench. It’ll let us stay away from some guys sometimes, lets us see some of the younger guys and it keeps guys fresh.”

The Indians trail first-place Kansas City by 3 1/2 games, and they were leading the Royals 4-2 in the 10th inning Sunday night when the game was suspended because of rain. Then Cleveland had to travel home quickly for an afternoon game Monday against second-place Detroit.

It’s a tough situation, but now that September has started, managers have more bodies available.

“It’s a different game, it really is,” San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. “On your side, you’ve got to remember all the players you have, the different options you have. On the other side you’ve got to be aware of their weapons. You can’t quite get the matchups like you can during the regular season because of all the extra players.”

September baseball means more pitching changes and more substitutions in general. From 2004-2013, regular-season games from Sept. 1 on featured an average of 8.43 pitchers, according to STATS. The average was 7.62 in games earlier in the year.

The number of substitutes per game — not including pitchers — rose from 3.48 to 5.14 when rosters expanded.

Here are a few other things to watch around the majors this week:

MARQUEE MATCHUPS: There are several to choose from. Cleveland’s Corey Kluber faces Detroit’s David Price on Monday, Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers takes on Doug Fister of Washington on Tuesday night, and Oakland’s Jon Lester starts against Seattle’s Felix Hernandez on Wednesday.

SLIDING: Oakland is still in solid shape to make the postseason, but the AL West may be slipping away. The Athletics trail the Angels by five games after Los Angeles swept a four-game series between the teams. Oakland scored one run in the final three games of that set and has to face Seattle’s tough pitching staff next.

ALL TIED UP: Milwaukee has lost five in a row, and now the Brewers are tied for first with St. Louis atop the NL Central. The Cardinals begin a four-game series at Milwaukee on Thursday night.

GOOD ENOUGH: Colorado’s Justin Morneau is leading the National League batting race with a .311 average. That doesn’t exactly conjure memories of Tony Gwynn’s heyday, but Morneau has been a bright spot for the Rockies after his career was derailed for a while because of concussion problems a few years ago. (And even the marvelous Gwynn once won a batting title with a .313 average in 1988.)

ON A ROLL: Drew Smyly is 3-1 with a 1.50 ERA since being sent from Detroit to Tampa Bay in the deal that brought Price to the Tigers. Smyly’s overall ERA this year is down to 3.31. Price’s is at 3.32.

STAT OF THE WEEK

Houston has 59 wins this season after managing 51 in all of 2013. Miami has 66 victories after winning only 62 games a year ago.

___

AP Baseball Writer Janie McCauley and AP Sports Writer Dave Skretta contributed to this report.

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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