Moreno not sold on Yankees’ Rodriguez

Speculation is already running rampant in New York that Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez will exercise an opt-out clause in his contract after 2007 to become a free agent, forgoing the final three years and $81 million left on his record 10-year, $252-million deal.

The Angels, as well as the Dodgers, Chicago Cubs and New York Mets, have been mentioned prominently as likely destinations for Rodriguez, who some believe could double the remaining years and salary left on his contract.

But Angels owner Arte Moreno, whose seven-year, $118-million bid for free-agent slugger Alfonso Soriano fell short this winter, hinted Monday he would be very hesitant to shell out $25 million or more a year to land Rodriguez, the 31-year-old who began 2007 with 464 home runs and 1,347 runs batted in.

Not that Moreno couldn’t afford it,but he seems philosophically opposed to allocating such a large portion of his payroll to one player.

“Alex Rodriguez is a special player, and he’s probably going to break every power number out there,” Moreno said. “But eventually, there is a ceiling economically. There are only X number of teams not limited on what they can spend and still put 25 players on the field.”

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Kelvim Escobar will not take the mound tonight with revenge in his heart; nor can he dismiss the actions of tonight’s opponent, Vicente Padilla, the Texas right-hander who drilled Angels slugger Vladimir Guerrero on the left forearm, threw two more pitches near Guerrero’s head and hit Juan Rivera with a pitch in a game Aug. 15.

Padilla’s intimidation tactics sparked a bean-ball war and benches-clearing brawl the next night in Texas, and Padilla drew a five-game suspension for his actions.

“You definitely remember what happened with him last year, but I don’t think there’s any bad blood,” Escobar said. “At the same time, it’s always there, and if someone gets hit by a pitch, you never know.”

Do grudges carry over from one season to the next?

“From our side, you have to turn the page,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “It’s well documented what Padilla did. We’re here to play baseball. It won’t be an issue. You move on.”

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With Bartolo Colon making a rehabilitation start in Class-A Rancho Cucamonga’s season opener Thursday and Jered Weaver pitching there Friday, the Angels are liking the Quakes’ chances in the California League.

“Actually, I’m going to put some money on them,” reliever Scot Shields said. “Bart on opening day and then Weaver? I tell you what, it’s going to be a treat for those kids to play behind them.”

Colon, recovering from a rotator-cuff tear, is scheduled to throw 60 pitches and could return to the Angels’ rotation in late April.

Weaver, who said he was completely recovered from the shoulder tightness that slowed him this spring, was scheduled to throw 75 pitches, 90 pitches next week and return to the Angels on April 16.

“We’ve got a pretty good 1-2 punch down there,” Weaver said.

In only his second big league season, Weaver, who was 11-2 with a 2.56 earned-run average as a rookie in 2006, will be honored with a bobblehead day at Angel Stadium on June 5.

“It’s got real hair and everything,” Weaver said. “It’s a troll doll, I think.”

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com