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Gone but not forgotten: Twins turn page on 103-loss season

By The Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — There’s hardly value in finishing 59-103, no full-color brochure touting the benefit to a franchise of losing that many baseball games in a single season.

The Minnesota Twins have no choice but to find some.

They’ll try to use their year-ago ineptitude as a stimulus of sorts, certain they’re better than that abysmal record showed and hopeful the exasperating experience has hardened and exposed enough of their young players to the unforgiving grind of the grand old summer game.

“We will try to use it as a springboard,” said manager Paul Molitor, who described 2016 as the most difficult season he’s endured in any capacity, playing or coaching, over his life in the sport. “It was very challenging.”

Plenty of important players remain from the 2015 team that produced a respectable 83-79 record and stayed in the wild-card race until the next-to-last game on the schedule, so a return to competency and competitiveness isn’t such a far-fetched vision. The blueprint for a turnaround is entrenched in a potentially potent lineup highlighted by the under-25 core of Byron Buxton, Max Kepler and Miguel Sano.

“You’ve got to keep learning and learning until you figure things out,” said Buxton, the speedy center fielder and former No. 2 overall draft pick who was twice sent back to Triple-A last year before totaling nine home runs among 17 extra-base hits with 22 RBIs and a .357 on-base percentage over his final 29 games. “I think we started to do that at the end of last season, and hopefully that carries over.”

From Buxton to the bullpen, there’s a fresh outlook throughout the organization following the appointment of 34-year-old former Cleveland assistant general manager Derek Falvey as chief baseball officer. That’s one of the timeworn charms of the sport, the annual optimism that comes each spring.

“There’s a different attitude in how we go about things,” reliever Taylor Rogers said. “You still want to learn from your mistakes, but there is a balance there of having a short memory and forgetting about things but also remembering what got you into that spot that you didn’t want to be in.”

Here’s a rundown of some relevant angles for 2017 regarding the Twins:

FOR STARTERS: Though the Twins eventually had a longer losing streak at 13 straight games through the end of August, starting 0-9 doomed last season before it even got going.

“The attitude was kind of dull, and what happened was kind of established early in the year,” said Rogers, whose major league debut came in that ninth game of the season. “So we really want to stay positive early.”

The Twins face Central Division foes in each of their first 19 games, with only four of those against defending American League champion Cleveland and 13 of them at home including the opener on Monday against Kansas City. That schedule ought to provide a better opportunity to avoid a repeat of 2016.

SPEAKING OF STARTERS: Ervin Santana was the easy pick for Molitor to make the opening day starter for a second straight year, but the rest of the rotation is stocked with uncertainty. Kyle Gibson, Phil Hughes and Hector Santiago figure to pitch better than last season, but by how much? Adalberto Mejia, the prospect acquired from San Francisco in the trade for All-Star Eduardo Nunez, has been one of the standouts of spring training and could give the Twins some young upside in the fifth spot.

CLOSING TIME: The bullpen will be the biggest concern to start the season. With three-time All-Star Glen Perkins not ready to return from shoulder surgery, Brandon Kintzler will resume the ninth-inning role he fared well in for the first time. His career rate of 6.5 strikeouts per nine innings doesn’t bode well for the long term, though. Newcomer Matt Belisle will help set up with Rogers and Ryan Pressly, but there’s scant proven depth during an era when most contenders are rich with power-armed relievers.

LET IT SANO: With Eddie Rosario in left field and Kepler in right flanking Buxton, the Twins have bounds of offensive and defensive potential in their young outfield. Now slugger Miguel Sano can settle in at third base, after an ill-fated experiment in right field to start 2016. The desire to make Sano an everyday position player leaves open the designated hitter spot for ByungHo Park, whose spring performance has been another positive development after a rough debut upon arrival from South Korea.

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For more AP baseball coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

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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