Here are a few of the top sports stories from across the nation:

Headline:

Byline:

Drew Sharp, Detroit Free Press

Excerpt:

And what's Cabrera's response to all the fuss? A "whatever" shrug of the shoulders and an almost apologetic grin. Despite a 10-year career with a Hall of Fame arc, Cabrera does not like to draw attention to himself off the field or talk about himself in the locker room. But he stands, six months before his 30th birthday, at the cusp of one of sports' truly remarkable achievements.

Headline:

Byline:

Bryan Burwell, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Excerpt:

So what if this year the Cards may have to slip into the playoffs in more subdued fashion than last year’s anxiety-filled, do-or-die, 11th hour victory in Houston? It was nearly 1 a.m. at the ballpark, long after the stands had emptied and even the stadium clean-up crews had gone home when manager Mike Matheny and most of his players hung around behind the closed doors of the home team clubhouse to watch the conclusion of the Giants' wild and crazy, 4-3 elimination of the Dodgers out in Chavez Ravine. All you could hear from the clubhouse entrance were whoops and (hollering) as the world champs engaged in their own private celebration of another playoff berth. It wasn't nearly as (raucous) as last year's champagne- and beer-soaked blast in Houston's Minute Maid Park.

Headline:

Byline:

Jeff Z. Klein, The New York Times

Excerpt:

The negotiations Tuesday were a continuation of three days of talks held over the weekend, all dealing with secondary matters. The sides are still far apart on the main issue, the division of hockey-related revenues. The owners are demanding a reduction in the players’ share of revenues from 57 percent to 47 percent. The players have offered to accept about 53 percent, but only if wealthy clubs share more of their profits with money-losing teams.

--Jim Beseda: 503-221-8380;

twitter.com/jimbesed