Selig weighs suspensions

BOSTON -- Commissioner Bud Selig has not ruled out suspending players who might have violated United States law even if they did not violate baseball’s drug policy, a high-ranking major league official said Wednesday.

Angels center fielder Gary Matthews Jr., who is expected to be summoned to Selig’s office next month to discuss a report that linked him to human growth hormone, could be one of the affected players.

Matthews, Cleveland pitcher Paul Byrd, St. Louis outfielder Rick Ankiel and Texas infielder Jerry Hairston Jr. have been associated with HGH in published reports. Toronto third baseman Troy Glaus, New York Mets pitcher Scott Schoeneweis and Baltimore outfielder Jay Gibbons have been linked to steroids.

In Matthews’ case, SI.com reported he ordered HGH in 2004. Baseball did not ban HGH until 2005. However, steroids and HGH were -- and are -- illegal without a legitimate prescription.

The commissioner’s office has started to receive information from the New York investigators leading a national probe into Internet drug trafficking, the official said. Documents and other supporting evidence could help Selig determine whether to impose a suspension -- and could help his lawyers in arguing any suspension should survive a potential grievance hearing.

Baseball’s current drug policy calls for a suspension of 50 games for any player testing positive for banned substances and 60 to 80 games for “possession or use of any prohibited substance.”

The general assumption is that when the World Series shifts to Coors Field for Games 3, 4 and 5, Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz will move to first base, the only position the slugger can play, and Manager Terry Francona will either bench first baseman Kevin Youkilis or scramble to find a spot for him.

But Ortiz’s right knee has been so sore -- he has taken at least one cortisone shot since the All-Star break -- that it’s highly unlikely he can play defense for three straight games. Francona said Wednesday that his lineup for the middle games of the series will hinge “on David’s health. . . probably that more than anything.”

Ortiz has been taking grounders at first during batting practice since the beginning of the American League Championship Series. Asked if he thought he could handle the position, he said, “Hopefully. . . wish me luck.”

But he added he does not expect his sore knee to limit his availability to play first base.

“It’s the World Series, man,” Ortiz said. “You feel no pain.”

Youkilis, who hit .500 with three homers and seven runs batted in during the ALCS, can also play third, but it’s doubtful Francona will remove Gold Glove-caliber third baseman Mike Lowell from the lineup.

So, he’ll probably go with a first base platoon, with Ortiz probably starting against right-handers Josh Fogg and Aaron Cook in Games 3 and 4 and Youkilis starting against left-hander Jeff Francis in Game 5.

Though Boston will lose at least one prominent hitter in the National League park, Lowell didn’t think the Red Sox would be at a disadvantage without a DH.

“If the Rockies got to have a DH and we didn’t,” Lowell said, “then it would be a disadvantage.”

Colorado Manager Clint Hurdle, rebutting a silly cliche with common sense: “I’ve been presented with a thing: This is the time of year when it’s who wants it most. That’s a joke. It’s not about wanting it most right now. What it really comes down to -- what we’re focusing on -- is execution. Who executes the best is going to win.”

The Dodgers are “a possibility” to be one of the two teams to play exhibition games in China next spring, Major League Baseball President Bob DuPuy said.

The Oakland Athletics and Red Sox are expected to open the regular season by playing two games in Japan, with two other clubs visiting China. DuPuy said he expects the teams to be finalized next month.

Boston’s Dustin Pedroia became the 18th player in World Series history to lead off a game for his team with a home run. The last to do it was Johnny Damon of the Red Sox in Game 4 of the 2004 World Series. . . . Manny Ramirez’s two runs batted in gave him 64 in the postseason, moving him into second on baseball’s all-time list. Bernie Williams holds the record with 80 postseason RBIs.

bill.shaikin@latimes.com

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com