Cabrera, Willingham lift Marlins by Mets  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Miguel Cabrera and Josh Willingham were two of the last Florida Marlins to leave the field Saturday night.  They might have been looking for more Mets relievers to feast on.  —  Cabrera hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning …

With His Bat, Abreu Is Making a Case to Stay  —  At the end of May, it seemed preposterous to think that the Yankees would pick up Bobby Abreu's $16 million option for next season.  The team was struggling, and Abreu was batting .228.  —  Now, with the Yankees surging and Abreu helping lead the way …

Other side of the story  —  Union: Writer got scoops with dirty tricks  —  Two recent incidents, in which players' quotes resulted in disciplinary action taken against them, have prompted the Major League Baseball Players Association to condemn the reporting tactics of USA Today baseball columnist Bob Nightengale.

ENCORE!  ENCORE!  Ankiel puts on show on offense, defense  —  They may remain waist-deep in a quicksand season, but the Cardinals and their second-chance right fielder have used the last several days to accomplish the improbable.  —  They've turned a slog into a stage for something remarkable.

CUBS IN BRIEF: Rumored deal for Podsednik dead  —  DENVER — The rumored waiver-wire trade talks between the Cubs and White Sox over Sox outfielder Scott Podsednik are dead, and, in fact, never had much of a pulse in the first place.  One source suggested the chances were never better than ''one in a thousand'' from the outset.

Final analysis: Sox may have fatal flaw  —  Ultimately, in any sport, the challenge is to execute at the most critical moments.  That is why Patriots [team stats] coach Bill Belichick is willing to give up yards, but not points.  That is why third-down conversions and red-zone efficiency are at the core of any team's success.

BABE HOMERED WITH GIRLS, TOO  —  THE Yankees had their hands full with the Alex Rodriguez scandal a few months back, but A-Rod's alleged dalliances with a busty blonde don't hold a candle to the wild and unquenchable sex life led by home-run king Babe Ruth in the 1920s, a new book on the Bronx Bombers reveals.

SERBY'S SUNDAY Q&A WITH...  TOM GLAVINE  —  August 12, 2007 — The Post's Steve Serby sat down with the 41-year-old Mets lefty who last Sunday night won his 300th career game:  —  Q: Chipper Jones' opinion that steroid questions will haunt A-Rod?  —  A: To a degree, he's probably right.

Notes: Texas tries to sign Draft picks  —  1st overall pick Beaven, 44th pick Ramirez still unsigned  —  ARLINGTON — Neil Ramirez has four days left to sign with the Rangers.  He has already signed with Georgia Tech, but would rather sign with the Rangers.  —  "I'm pretty set on signing with the Rangers," he said.

Baseball Brotherhood: It's Not Just an Expression  —  Justin Upton and Delmon Young began their baseball careers in similar fashion.  Two years apart, they were the first players selected in the June amateur draft, Young by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2003 and Upton by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2005.