NEW YORK (Ticker) - ESPN will be the cable home of baseball's Division Series through the 2006 season.

Major League Baseball and ESPN reached an agreement Thursday to air games on both ESPN and ESPN2, including the first-ever prime-time postseason baseball games for the cable network.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

"We are very pleased to welcome ESPN back as our partner for the Division Series," Commissioner Bud Selig said. "ESPN is the premier cable sports network and has been a valued business partner for more than a decade. Our fans turn to ESPN for baseball coverage all season long and I am sure they will be pleased with the agreement."

In 2003, the two networks are scheduled to carry a minimum of nine games and a maximum of 14 games, including three in prime time.

For the remaining years of the agreement, the minimum total will be eight and the maximum will be 13, with at least two prime-time games each year.

ESPN and ESPN2 televised Division Series games from 1996 to 2000. The games were produced by ESPN and aired on ABC Family. Fox Sports also will air Division Series and has exclusive rights for the League Championship Series and the World Series.

Updated on Thursday, Aug 14, 2003 5:15 pm EDT

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