Cook falls behind schedule

The Colorado Rockies decided to be careful with right-hander Aaron Cook, who has missed three days of pitching and will miss his first scheduled start of the spring due to continued setbacks from tightness in his shoulder and a bout with a stomach ailment.

Rockies manager Jim Tracy said Thursday that Cook remains on a training program and that he will have to throw a bullpen session and likely throw live batting practice before he is cleared to pitch in an exhibition game.

Cook, who insisted the soreness was nothing out of the ordinary, was in line to start Tuesday at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks or Wednesday at the San Francisco Giants.

There is no timetable for Cook to appear in a spring game.

''He is getting stretched out to long distance and will eventually work his way back to the mound,'' Tracy said. ''He had a couple of things he was battling early on and now he's progressing.''

Cook threw long toss Wednesday, his first activity beyond light catch since Saturday.

Cook entered camp as Colorado's No. 3 starter behind Ubaldo Jimenez and Jorge De La Rosa. Jimenez is scheduled to start Saturday's opener and De La Rosa will start Sunday's intersquad game. Jhoulys Chacin was moved into Monday's start.

Jason Hammel will probably take the ball Tuesday, with a choice between Felipe Paulino and Esmil Rogers on Wednesday.

Cook finished last season with a 6-8 record and an ERA of 5.08, his highest since becoming a full-time starter in 2003. He was a combined 27-15 with a 4.06 ERA in 2008-09.

''He will have to throw a bullpen session before game action,'' said Tracy, who added that a bullpen was yet to be scheduled. ''He'll also probably throw to hitters first before we put him on the field.''

Rockies catcher Chris Iannetta said it wouldn't take too long to get back on the same page.

''I'm fortunate to have been here a few years and been around these guys for a long time,'' he said. ''I'd say 95 percent I already know.''