Red Sox may ante up for A-Rod

DENVER -- As Alex Rodriguez and the New York Yankees embarked upon the most expensive poker game in baseball history, the Boston Red Sox loom as an intriguing wild card.

Rodriguez opted out of his contract Sunday, and the Yankees insist they will not bid on him once he officially declares himself a free agent. That could offer the Red Sox the opportunity to snatch Rodriguez and drive a stake into the heart of their rivals.

The Red Sox can’t yet talk directly about Rodriguez without risking a tampering charge. So this question was posed to Boston President Larry Lucchino: Could the Red Sox afford a player with an annual salary of $25 million to $30 million?

“Not without considerable adjustment in the way we have operated the franchise,” Lucchino said.

The Red Sox could clear $31 million, at least for next year, by not bringing back pitchers Curt Schilling and Matt Clement and third baseman Mike Lowell. Beyond then, the annual $20-million payment to outfielder Manny Ramirez converts from a guarantee to a club option.

The Red Sox reached a tentative deal to acquire Rodriguez and his record contract from the Texas Rangers four years ago, but the players’ union rejected the proposed contract restructuring. Then the Yankees traded for him.

Lowell, at 33, is one year older than Rodriguez. Lowell hit .324 with 21 home runs and 120 runs batted in this season, Rodriguez hit .314 with 54 homers and 156 runs batted in.

The difference in the asking price might be staggering: Rodriguez might seek 10 years at $300 million, Lowell three years at $40 million.

The Red Sox consider retaining Lowell “a priority for the off-season,” General Manager Theo Epstein told the Boston Herald last week before Game 2 of the World Series.

“I’m sure we’ll be able to get something done,” Epstein said. “We have a desire to keep him here a long time.”

Rodriguez and Prince Fielder of the Milwaukee Brewers were announced Sunday as winners of the annual Hank Aaron Award, presented to the top offensive player in each league as determined by fan voting.

Rodriguez did not show up to accept his award from Aaron, citing prior commitments. Aaron did not show up this summer as Barry Bonds chased and then broke his all-time home run record, although he did congratulate Bonds via videotape.

“Whenever I would chase a record, it was all about a man of color,” Aaron said. “They said, Babe Ruth was this, Babe Ruth was that. Now, when Barry was chasing a record, it was all about steroids. I didn’t want to get involved in that. I had told Joe Morgan 10 or 15 years ago that I wasn’t going to be part of it. . . .

“It wasn’t because I had any animosity toward Barry breaking the record. I said it all along, and I’ll say it again: Records are made to be broken. . . . I just did not want to get back into the controversy over it. . . .

“If I had been coming to the park, it would have been about the same thing: steroids, what do you think? I just didn’t think I needed to worry about that. I had to stay home with my grandkids. I could do something better -- play with them.”

With the Rockies’ appearance in the World Series, every National League West team except the Dodgers has played in the Fall Classic over the past decade.

The Dodgers last played in the World Series in 1988. The other NL teams not to appear in the World Series since then: Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Montreal/Washington and the Chicago Cubs.

Tom Lasorda, who managed the Dodgers to that 1988 World Series championship, turned 80 last month.

“I told the Big Dodger in the Sky he’s not taking me until I see the pennant flag flying again at Dodger Stadium,” Lasorda said here. “He can’t take me until we win the world championship of baseball again. Then, I might have to go.”

Colorado Manager Clint Hurdle on Boston pitcher Josh Beckett’s October (4-0, 1.20 earned-run average, two walks, 35 strikeouts): “He’s got Nintendo numbers.” . . . Even as the Rockies faced elimination Sunday, Colorado pitcher Jeff Francis said before the game he and his teammates were loose, watching the NFL on TV. “I think the guys who are winning in fantasy football are probably more excited than the guys who are losing,” he said. . . . Francis, with a sensible answer to the silly question about whether the Rockies had some sort of advantage facing elimination after playing the final two weeks of the season with their backs against the wall: “Having your back against the wall never gives you an advantage.”

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bill.shaikin@latimes.com