Round two of the playoffs begins today with the Los Angeles Dodgers visiting the Philadelphia Phillies. The NL West champs are coming off a sweep of the Chicago Cubs while the NL East leaders took three of four in the two NLDS over the past week.

Given the fact that we have already previewed the Dodgers and Phillies (as well as the additional information in the Link of the Day in the sidebar on the left), I thought it might be more fun to take a look at the League Championship and World Series odds as presented by Bodog.

Odds to Win the League Championship Series:  read more »

Lavelle E. Neal II follows-up this morning's article with his perception that the Twins want to get something done with Johan Santana this week. MLB.com's Twins beat reporter, Kelly Thesier confirms the same.  Team officials indicated to her that the Santana situation will be settled within the week.

The key phrase is "within the week."  That means within seven days.  More importantly, Ms. Thesier is a second source to confirm Mr. Neal's impressions.

One of the unmentioned complicating factors is the rumored haul the Orioles received for Erik Bedard.  If Twins' GM Bill Smith does not buy into the idea that Erik Bedard is more valuable than Johan Santana because Bedard has an extra year of control, then the New York Mets, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will have to justify their offers relative to the haul the Orioles received for an oft-injured, no-time Cy Young award winner.  read more »

Hiroki Kuroda and Clayton Kershaw held Boston hitless into the eighth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers wrapped up spring training by beating the road-weary Red Sox 8-0 on Sunday. Things were back to normal at Chavez Ravine following Saturday night's nostalgia-filled side trip five miles down the freeway to the L.A.  read more »

Mark Sweeney doubled home the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Boston Red Sox 3-1 Friday night in the opener of a three-game series that will include a nostalgic evening at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. Sweeney doubled off Lincoln Holdzkom to score Andre Ethier, who had drawn a leadoff walk.  read more »

Both the Los Angeles Angels and Boston Red Sox lost out on the Mark Teixeira sweepstakes and are now left to figure out which roster tweaks remain both available and viable this off-season. In itself, not going to $180 million, $190 million, $200 million for Tex's services is perfectly defensible but that does not change the notion that if you are not improving while teams around you are, you're effectively getting worse. For both teams to maintain the competitive advantages they have enjoyed for the last handful of seasons, they would be wise to consider other options.  read more »

Hiroki Kuroda and Clayton Kershaw held Boston hitless into the eighth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers wrapped up spring training by beating the road-weary Red Sox 8-0 on Sunday. Things were back to normal at Chavez Ravine following Saturday night’s nostalgia-filled side trip five miles down the freeway to the L.A.  read more »

Mark Sweeney doubled home the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Boston Red Sox 3-1 Friday night in the opener of a three-game series that will include a nostalgic evening at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. Sweeney doubled off Lincoln Holdzkom to score Andre Ethier, who had drawn a leadoff walk.  read more »

Mark Sweeney doubled home the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Boston Red Sox 3-1 Friday night in the opener of a three-game series that will include a nostalgic evening at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. Sweeney doubled off Lincoln Holdzkom to score Andre Ethier, who had drawn a leadoff walk.  read more »

A text message on Red Sox manager Terry Francona's cell phone delivered the good news: David Ortiz wanted in. Off to the worst start of his career, Boston's slumping slugger was back in the starting lineup on Monday night against the Cleveland Indians after sitting out a game against the New York Yankees to clear his head and find his batting stroke.  read more »

The Boston Red Sox have released catcher Doug Mirabelli.
He was placed on unconditional waivers Thursday despite his ability to handle the knuckleball that had made him Tim Wakefield’s personal catcher for several years.
The skill Kevin Cash showed in catching Wakefield’s knuckleball last year makes him the likely replacement for the 37-year-old Mirabelli. Cash is 30.
Mirabelli hit a career-high .281 in 2004 when Boston won its first World Series title in 86 years. But he batted just .  read more »