CHICAGO -- Chicago White Sox starting pitcher John Danks said Monday he’s hopeful he’ll be back by spring training after recently undergoing season-ending surgery on his left shoulder.

Danks, whose left arm was in a sling, spoke to the media Monday for the first time since having surgery on Aug. 6. The surgery was to arthroscopically repair a capsular tear and minor debridements of the rotator cuff and biceps in his left shoulder. It was deemed successful.

“I’m not putting a whole lot of weight into the dates,” Danks said prior to Monday’s game. “It’s certainly a good goal, and it’s my goal to be ready by spring, but things can happen. The goal is spring training, but I don’t want to do anything to set us back any further by pushing it.”

White Sox general manager Ken Williams said Monday he also has a similar target for Danks.

“We look for him to be ready come opening day next year or the start of spring training,” Williams said. “There’s been no indication that he won’t be able to come back and be the same guy he was before the surgery. He’s happy that it was something less severe potentially than it could have been. We’re happy. We’ll talk more about Johnny Danks next February.”

Danks said he’s begun some minor rehab and expected it to increase with time. He expected to rehab in Dallas or Austin, Texas.

“This past week I was going to Athletic Co. and just getting it moved around a little bit, but the first couple weeks it has been pretty slow moving,” Danks said. “We’ll have a better idea once rehab truly gets started cranking, but I’ve heard spring training, so that’s my goal now until I hear otherwise and I’m going to do everything in my power to make that happen.

“(I feel) as good as I thought I would. It’s still new to me. Everything I know is just what was told to me. Fortunately at this point it hasn’t been as bad as I expected, but I haven’t gotten into the full rehab process. I hear that’s a little tougher.”

Danks was 3-4 with a 5.70 ERA in nine starts this season.