"Todd Helton is not going to Asheville, N.C. after all. The plan was for him to begin a rehab assignment there, but Helton is still dealing with weakness in his legs related to his back injury. So Helton returned to Denver to continue working out. When he feels stronger, there's still a chance he will go on a brief rehab — five to six at-bats as a designated hitter.

"I think the best the way to describe is this: He still not feeling strong enough. It's a weakness, not pain," manager Jim Tracy said today. "It has everything to do with strength factor."

Tracy continues to cite the schedule as an influencing factor in decisions regarding Helton, the face of the franchise for more than a decade. The Rockies don's have the luxury to massage a player back for two weeks to let him find his groove. They need Helton to be healthy and productive, regardless of his role, when he returns.

"We are not looking at an extended period of time. We need to get him where he feels right. How many at-bats that entails on a (rehab), Todd Helton would know," Tracy said. "To see just live pitching, just a little bit that could help ease him back."

Helton's situation is complicated by the fact that Brad Hawpe, a potential solution at first base, is not hitting. He's on the bench for today's game vs. the Marlins after a meeting with Tracy. The manager wants Hawpe to work on his swing in the cage and get his mechanics in synch before returning."