Red Sox outfielder Ryan Kalish, in a series of entries on his twitter feed, acknowledged that he is “feeling pretty down” about the right shoulder surgery that he will undergo next week in California, which is expected to keep him out for at least spring training and the beginning months of the 2013 season.

The procedure will be the third surgery that Kalish has required in the span of roughly 16 months, following surgery to repair a bulging disc in his neck in Sept. 2011 and surgery on a torn labrum in his left (throwing) shoulder in Dec. 2011. Those two injuries caused Kalish to miss almost all of the 2011 season before his year-ending procedures, and the recovery and rehab process left him feeling as if he was a shell of himself in 2012 (in part because he did not have a healthy offseason for strengthening). Now, he faces the prospect of another season that he will enter with considerable physical limitations.

The prospect of a third straight year in which he must focus on rehab and health is admittedly frustrating to Kalish, but he vowed that despite the succession of health woes, he remains committed to returning to health.

“The past few years baseball-wise have been really mentally tough as all I want to do is play fully healthy,” he tweeted. “I am feeling pretty down about this all right now but I will not quit and will work hard to get back to where I want to be.”

I appreciate all the encouraging love from everyone on this next surgery of mine

— Ryan Kalish (@Ryan_Kalish) January 26, 2013 ^[4]

The past few years baseball-wise have been really tough mentally as all I want to do is play fully healthy

— Ryan Kalish (@Ryan_Kalish) January 26, 2013 ^[5]

I am feeling pretty down about this all right now but I will not quit and will work hard to get back to where I want to be

— Ryan Kalish (@Ryan_Kalish) January 26, 2013 ^[6]

Again I appreciate all the love. Everyone have a awesome weekend!

— Ryan Kalish (@Ryan_Kalish) January 26, 2013 ^[7]

Kalish’s tweets, in turn, prompted feedback from former big leaguers with whom (or for whom) he has played in the past, including Mike Cameron (Kalish’s teammate with the Sox in 2010 and 2011) and Gabe Kapler, a manager in the Sox system in 2007.

@ryan_kalish ^[8] nothing but an obstacle son stay on your grind stay positive god controls the healing process!!

— Cameron (@_darkman44) January 26, 2013 ^[9]

@ryan_kalish ^[8] listen, this will be a distant memory, I guarantee it. This too shall pass.

— gabe kapler (@gabekapler) January 26, 2013 ^[10]