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Rangers 3B Beltre close to 3,000 hits, really wants 1 ring

By The Associated Press

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Adrian Beltre goes into his 20th major league season only 58 hits shy of joining the 3,000 club. He was a .300 hitter again last year, when he also won his fifth Gold Glove.

Even with all those impressive numbers, the Texas Rangers third baseman really only wants one thing at this point in his career: a ring.

“If we win the World Series this year, maybe, maybe I won’t ever come back here,” said Beltre, who turns 38 next week and is signed through 2018. “That’s the only thing that I wanted to accomplish that’s going to keep me going every morning.”

The Rangers have won the AL West the last two seasons, but have been trying to get back to the World Series since 2011, when they were twice within one strike of winning it all before falling short as AL champions for the second year in a row. That was Beltre’s first season in Texas, and his only Fall Classic.

Beltre and the Rangers thought they were in great shape for another chance last year after winning an AL-high 95 games, and going into the playoffs with aces Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish perfectly aligned for the postseason.

They instead got swept in the AL Division Series in another strange season ending against Toronto.

Texas still has Darvish and Hamels, but will open the season without offseason additions Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross. The Rangers knew Ross would still be recovering from thoracic outlet syndrome, but Texas native Casher had a biceps issue in spring training that put him behind schedule.

Mike Napoli, another member of the 2011 World Series team, is back with the Rangers after winning a World Series with Boston in 2013 and being with AL champion Cleveland last season. Napoli takes over at first base after Mitch Moreland left in free agency, as did Ian Desmond after his All-Star season in Texas.

Carlos Gomez, who finished 2016 surging with the Rangers after his August release from Houston, re-signed and will replace Desmond in center field, the position where Gomez was a two-time All-Star in Milwaukee. Jonathan Lucroy is a former All-Star catcher with the Brewers who got traded to Texas last August, and is signed through this season.

“I like it here and I want to enjoy the team for the full season,” Gomez said. “I’m in the right place to be part of something special.”

Some things to watch with the Rangers in 2017:

OPTIONAL TRIO: Jurickson Profar, Ryan Rua and Delino DeShields went to spring training as options to play left field. They all could see time there, and at other positions, too. Profar started at five different positions last season, Rua can play first base and the speedy DeShields can play all outfield spots. All that versatility gives manager Jeff Banister a lot of options, and might allow the Rangers to start the season with more pitchers and a shorter bench.

NEW LOOK: Cashner, who signed a $10 million deal in November, and Ross could eventually fill out the rotation that also includes young left-hander Martin Perez, 10-11 in 33 starts last season. Right-hander Colby Lewis and left Derek Holland are gone after being with the team since its World Series seasons in 2010 and 2011. The position players will be familiar. This is Napoli’s third stint with the team, and everybody else returns from last season.

STILL IN THE BUILDING: Elvis Andrus is the only player remaining on the roster from the Rangers’ first World Series in 2010. The 28-year-old shortstop is going into his ninth major league season. He hit .302 with eight homers and 69 RBIs last year, all career highs.

ROOKIE TO WATCH: A Rule 5 pick last winter, 27-year-old right-hander Mike Hauschild made himself a solid option to start the season in the rotation or be a long man in the bullpen.

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More AP baseball: 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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