Mlb Spring Training

A tale of two outfielders

There's a noon start at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, and Ryan Kalish is out extra early for batting practice. It's a little after 9 a.m. and Kalish is already deep in a sweat, hacking in the cage. He oozes enthusiasm.

Part of it is that mentality coaches look for in a quarterback -- a trait Kalish possesses as a former University of Virginia football recruit. But mostly, Kalish is just happy to be able to swing again. He has spent the entire season with the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox, but primarily as a spectator, cheering on his teammates from the sidelines like a backup quarterback. All that's missing is the clipboard.

"It's been about 10 days that I've felt really good," Kalish said recently behind a thick pair of Nike sunglasses. "It's been a long time since I've felt like that."

On Thursday in Lowell, Kalish returns to the field on a rehabilitation assignment with the short-season Class A Lowell Spinners. Kalish last played on April 21, when he suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder while making a sensational, fully-extended, diving catch in center field. If he hadn't been hurt, he almost certainly would have been the one called up to the big leagues when the Red Sox needed an outfielder, instead of Josh Reddick .

Now it is Reddick who is playing every day with the Red Sox, while Kalish travels what has been a torturous road to recovery. He had hoped to return to the PawSox lineup in about a month, and appeared on track when he reported to extended spring training in Florida in May. But soon thereafter, he developed a throbbing pain in his neck.

More than three months after his initial injury, Kalish is just now starting to feel himself again.

"The setback was the worst," Kalish said. "I beat the shoulder injury in about five weeks, then it was the neck injury. I've had a stiff neck before; in three or four days, you feel better. This was different."

Kalish sustained a trapezius injury while rehabbing the shoulder injury. At times, the shooting pain in his neck was so severe he couldn't bear to drive his car. The only place he felt comfortable was lying down on the floor.

But finally, after more rehab, he is ready to make his return. He jumped back into the cages and began hitting about a week ago.

"For me now, it's just about going out there and trusting my body and trusting that it's not going to hurt to swing," Kalish said. "That's where I'm at.

Baseball Tryout and Hitting Camp - The Beebe News

Coast to Coast Baseball would like to invite local players (ages 10-18) to one of our upcoming tryout events. At the tryout, our staff will evaluate your skills in four areas; hitting, fielding, arm strength and speed.

Since the summer of 2001, nearly 2000 athletes (ages 11-12, 13-14, 15-16 and 17-18) from 46 different states have participated in the Coast to Coast Baseball program. Our alumni now compete at every level of collegiate baseball and even professionally.

Players who are accepted to the program, may choose to represent the USA in competition in Puerto Rico, or work with top college coaches and pro scouts at one of our Florida or Arizona Camp and showcase events held at a MLB spring-training complex.

In addition to the tryout, an instructional hitting camp will be held the same day. The goal of the camp is to help players improve hitting fundamentals as well as their mental approach at the plate. Events will be held at Ouachita Baptist University (college baseball field) in Arkadelphia, AR on Sunday, August 7th with tryouts at 12 p.m. and hitting camp at 4 p.m.

For more information, players and parents can visit  www.CoastToCoastAthletics.com. Register for one or both events on our website or by calling our office at (740)373-4455.

Major League Baseball Spring Training, Cactus League, Grapefruit League, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics

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