Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine indicated Monday that Aaron Cook is out of the team's rotation race.

Cook opened camp a few weeks late due to concerns about his troublesome right shoulder. "Will he get enough innings to start in the major leagues at the beginning of the season? I doubt it," Valentine said. "Seems he's like he's on a pace for 17-18 innings if all goes well. If we have the innings to give him, maybe, but I doubt it." Alfredo Aceves, Andrew Miller, Felix Doubront and Vicente Padilla are still in the hunt for that job.

Bobby Valentine indicated Friday that Aaron Cook could be ready by the start of the season.

Cook threw batting practice Tuesday without incident and said Thursday that he expects to pitch in a game within 3-4 days. He's running short on time, but he's currently in the mix with Alfredo Aceves, Andrew Miller, Felix Doubront and Vicente Padilla for the fifth spot in the starting rotation.

Aaron Cook said Thursday that he is "3-4 days away" from pitching in a game.

Cook has been brought along slowly this spring because of his history of shoulder problems, but he made it through live batting practice Tuesday without incident. The 32-year-old right-hander hopes to contend for a rotation spot this spring after posting an ugly 6.03 ERA and 48/37 K/BB ratio over 97 innings with the Rockies last season.

Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said Monday that Aaron Cook will be built up more slowly than some of the other pitchers in camp.

Cook isn't hurt, but the Red Sox aren't going to take any chances given his past shoulder issues. The 32-year-old right-hander signed a minor-league deal with Boston last month after posting a 6.03 ERA and 48/37 K/BB ratio over 97 innings with the Rockies in 2011. He's part of a crowded field of contenders for a rotation spot.

Red Sox signed RHP Aaron Cook to a minor league contract.

The deal, which will be worth $1.5 million if Cook makes Boston's 25-man roster, was agreed upon late Sunday night. The 32-year-old right-hander will be given a shot at a starting rotation spot in spring training but likely faces long odds after posting an ugly 6.03 ERA and 48/37 K/BB ratio over 97 innings last season for the Rockies.

The Red Sox have come to terms with Aaron Cook on a minor league contract, sources told FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal.

Boston is going the bargain route in filling out the rotation behind Jon Lester, Josh Beckett and Clay Buchholz. Cook is set to battle Daniel Bard, Alfredo Aceves, Carlos Silva, Felix Doubront and anyone else who might be added to the field prior to spring training. Cook's best stuff is long gone due to shoulder problems, but he might yet be able to induce enough grounders to be a fringe major league starter.

Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports that the Padres are interested in free agent starter Aaron Cook.

Renck also notes that the Pirates are interested in Cook, which had previously been reported by Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Cook posted an ugly 6.03 ERA and 48/37 K/BB ratio over 97 innings this season, which led the Rockies to declining his $11 million option for 2012. He could still have some value as a back-end of the rotation starter, though.

According to Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pirates have shown preliminary interest in free agent right-hander Aaron Cook.

Brink hears that about a half-dozen teams have inquired thus far and that the Bucs' interest is merely in the early stages. Cook, 32, posted an ugly 6.03 ERA and 48/37 K/BB ratio over 97 innings this season. The Rockies declined his $11 million option for 2012 late last month.

Aaron Cook told Jim Armstrong of the Denver Post that he expects to talk with the Padres and Reds as a free agent.

Coincidentally, Cook has enjoyed success in San Diego and Cincinnati as a visiting player. The Rockies declined his $11 million option for 2012, but haven't dismissed the possibility of bringing him back at a much cheaper rate. The 32-year-old right-hander posted an ugly 6.03 ERA and 48/37 K/BB ratio over 97 innings this season.

Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd said the "door is open" for free agent Aaron Cook to return to the club next season.

The Rockies made the easy decision Sunday to decline Cook's $11 million option for 2012. He posted an ugly 6.03 ERA and 1.69 WHIP over 18 total outings this season, and is doubtful to draw many fruitful free agent bids this winter. The Rox could get him back on the cheap and hope that he rebounds.

Rockies declined RHP Aaron Cook's $11 million option for 2012.

An expected move after Cook held a 6.03 ERA and 1.69 WHIP over 18 games -- 17 starts -- this season. The 32-year-old was reasonably effective as recently as 2009, but he's been injury-prone and extremely hittable the last two years. Still, he could easily catch on at the back end of a rotation somewhere.

Aaron Cook will not make another appearance this season, as his right hip remains sore after he was struck by a line drive during Wednesday's start.

He's made the last appearance of his Rockies career, as the team will decline its $11 million option on the right-hander for next season. Cook finishes the season with a 6.03 ERA and 1.69 WHIP over 18 games -- 17 starts. He'll likely have to settle for a minor league deal over the winter.

Aaron Cook has no plans to retire.

"I am definitely planning on playing next season," Cook said on Thursday. Set to hit the open market with the Rockies certain to decline his $11 million 2012 option, Cook could find job offers hard to come by after making fewer than 30 starts each of the past three seasons while posting a 4.85 ERA and 1.52 WHIP in 376 2/3 innings.

Aaron Cook will make one more start before being removed from the Rockies rotation.

The start will likely come during the team's final home stand, which begins on September 15 and ends on September 21. Drew Pomeranz is sliding into Cook's rotation spot this weekend, as the Rockies want to get a look at their younger starters. Cook's final start this season will also likely be his final one in a Rockies uniform, as the team has an $11 million option on him for next season that won't be exercised.

Aaron Cook yielded three earned runs over six innings in Sunday's loss to the Padres.

Cook struck out two, walked four and gave up four hits. After posting an ugly 7.02 ERA in six August outings, Petco Park allowed him to post a "quality" start. Cook is not a fantasy option with a home start against the Reds on deck.

Aaron Cook was rocked for six runs on seven hits and two walks over just 4 1/3 innings in Tuesday's loss to the Diamondbacks.

He struck out six and gave up a homer. Cook has just four quality starts on the season. He'll take an awful 3-8 record and 5.82 ERA into Monday's rematch against Arizona.

Aaron Cook held the Marlins to three runs on nine hits in 7 2/3 innings on Wednesday, improving to 3-7 in a 12-5 Rockies win at home.

Cook had a shutout going until he allowed homers to Mike Stanton and Jose Lopez in the eighth. The start was his longest of the season. Although the quality outing was his second in three starts, it was just his fourth of the year. He'll take a 5.23 ERA, 1.63 WHIP and horrific 27/28 K/BB ratio (through 75 2/3 innings) into his Tuesday matchup with the Astros.

Aaron Cook was cooked for six runs on nine hits and three walks over just 5 2/3 innings in Friday's loss to the Cardinals.

Cook had his sinker working through the first five frames, but he fell apart in the sixth, allowing five of his six runs and getting knocked out by an RBI single by opposing pitcher Kyle Lohse. The veteran had settled in pretty nicely of late, so his rotation spot should be fine despite this hiccup, but he's not a trusted fantasy option with a 5.43 ERA and 1.68 WHIP. He'll face the Marlins the next time out.

Aaron Cook shook off the neck spasms that cut his last start short, tossing 6 2/3 innings of two-run ball against the Nationals Sunday.

Cook struck out four, walked three and gave up four hits in the no-decision. It turns out that the spasms were just a stinger as he spun his second-longest outing of the season. Still, Cook isn't a fantasy option in St. Louis next week.

Aaron Cook (neck) plans to make his next scheduled start.

Cook left Tuesday's start against the Phillies after four innings with what he described as "stinger" on the right side of his neck. He temporarily lost some strength in his right arm, but tested out fine later. He should be fine to start Sunday against the Nationals.