“You see the opportunity and you wish it could be different,’’ Kalish said yesterday. “It’s frustrating, but I need to get healthy.’’
Kalish revealed that in addition to the surgery he had on his neck in September, he had surgery on his left shoulder Nov. 8 to repair a torn labrum. The Red Sox had kept that quiet.
That surgery, done by Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles, requires a lengthy rehabilitation, and Kalish will not be fully ready for spring training or the start the season.
“It’s not the easiest rehab in the world, and we’re only a few weeks into it,’’ Kalish said. “I’m working to get my range of motion back and we’ll go from there. Nobody has told me a timetable, but I know it will be a while.’’
First baseman Adrian Gonzalez had labrum surgery on Oct. 20, 2010, and did not appear in a spring training game until March 12. Gonzalez had surgery on his non-throwing shoulder, however. For Kalish, the rehab will take longer because he throws with his left arm and is an outfielder.
There is a chance Kalish will be able to DH or pinch hit in spring training. But getting his arm healthy enough to play the outfield will take additional time.
“I’m not a pitcher or it would take longer,’’ Kalish said. “I was told that in terms of shoulder injuries, I had the best-case scenario. But it will still take some time.’’
Kalish first injured his shoulder playing high school football. But he suffered a significant injury on April 21 of last season with Pawtucket trying to make a diving catch.
The injury limited Kalish to 24 games last season. He returned to Pawtucket in August but lasted only eight games before being shut down because of neck pain that developed as a result of the shoulder injury.
The neck issue, a bulging disk, was alleviated in September when Dr. Joseph Maroon performed surgery in Pittsburgh. Maroon is the team neurosurgeon of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Kalish did his rehab with a specialist in San Francisco.
