July 18, 2011; Chicago, IL, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Roy Halladay (34) is checked on by the team trainer during the fifth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

That leaves things up to Phillies head trainer Dr. Michael Ciccotti, who has the unenviable task of relaying information to a ravenous public over the course of the next few weeks.

Any change in wording or facial expression will be recorded, should it happen to veer from what was stated originally.  Every bit of phrasing, every stolen glimpse, every twitch – or was that a purposeful wink?  Was Dr. Ciccotti signaling me to meet him in the hallway for an exclusive?

After six hours of waiting the hallway, I can confirm that no, he wasn’t.  But that’s the sort of thing Ciccotti, his staff, and Phillies management will have to worry about in the near future.

Take for example yesterday, at the Phillies Phestival; a day set aside for celebration, merriment, and increasingly uncomfortable handshakes.  Ciccotti, in attendance and just wanting to meet some of his fans, was forced to answer questions about Roy Halladay, and put together a fragile paragraph of words in regards to Doc returning before the end of the year.

“That’s very possible… Roy is feeling very good.  He will be out of his sling very quickly. He’ll start on a rehab program that we’ll coordinate here. He’ll be doing range-of-motion exercises, followed by strengthening. And we will really see how he progresses. And if he gets to the point where he feels like he can pick up a ball and start tossing, then that would be our hope. That will be dependent on how he feels, but it could be anywhere from six to eight weeks from now. And then his progression from that point will obviously be how he is with his throwing.

–Dr. Michael Ciccotti, via Delco Times

“Challenging.”

“Quickly.”

“Tossing.”

“Six to eight.”

These are the words we shall lodge in our heads, and expect to be repeated, unless development occurs and we can say something else, regardless of Dr. Ciccotti’s feelings.

Some people – stronger than others – are forced to realize at the Phillies Phestival that they may not be as popular as they hoped, yet.

Ben Revere photo booth is currently empty. Ouch.

— Ryan Donovan (@rdonovan316) May 16, 2013

“He had an arthroscopic evaluation and underwent debridement of his labrum and rotator cuff as well as removal of an inflamed bursa. He’ll begin a progressive rehabilitation program and if all goes well, he may possibly begin a throwing program in 6-8 weeks.”

–Dr. Michael Ciccotti

Roy survived, but more importantly, his spirit of competition did not escape from his body and kill everyone in the operating room.

So… 6-8 weeks, huh?  You know Roy Halladay will have that down to two.  And it will be too early, but he’ll insist on it, make a scene, then go out there and give up 10 runs in two innings.  

This is mostly just what it is.  A guy got hurt, now he’s got to put the time into recovering correctly.  And one thing we can bank on here is that Roy is going to do that, because it’s pretty much the only facet of this whole thing that he has control over at this point.

You know

Apr 3, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Roy Halladay (34) reacts in the dugout after leaving the game against the Atlanta Braves during the fourth inning at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

he wants to be out there, and we can kid ourselves and act like he doesn’t want to let us down, but he’s mostly just Roy Halladay, guy who feels so at home on the pitching mound he’ll stifle discomfort and pain just to stand on it.  And he is going to do this right, and he is going to do it intensely, unless doing it intensely isn’t right, in which case he’ll just have to do it wrong.

The point is, the surgery is complete, Roy is fine, and we’ve got our dates to begin counting down.

God speed, Roy Halladay.

That’s right.  You’re gonna have to slow down a bit.

May 8, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay (34) talks to the media before the game against the San Francisco Giants at AT

The apology was found on the doorsteps of Citizens Bank Park, next to a pristine, long-stemmed rose.

“Roy, stop,” it began, several other attempts at an opening hastily scribbled out.

“You don’t owe anyone anything you son of a bitch,” it continued, emotionally, barely readable in places where the paper had been tightly gripped in someone’s hand and severely crumpled as a result.  ”When we think of all the times that you went out there and put an end to a losing streak or glowered menacingly at some cocky little upstart…”

Ink smears prevented any coherence for the next paragraphs, as if someone had begun to weep uncontrollably and confusingly used the letter as a tissue.

“…anaconda to death,” it picked back up.

“We used to have collective nightmares after 2011 that what if you had to retire without a World Series ring?  What if you chose to come here to win it all, and we couldn’t do it for you?  You’re just one man, Roy; one incredible man with an insatiable cutter.  You can’t do it alone.”

“You gave so much to this franchise in only a few years, and have gotten so little back.  There are now babies on earth because of what you did to the Reds in the 2010 playoffs.”

“Oh god,” it went on.  ”This is terrible.”

The counter-apology continued for several dozen pages, most of them hilarious photo shops or crudely-drawn pictures of Roy and all the fans just hanging out, having a good time.  One seemed to illustrate a sequence in which Jose Reyes stole the fans’ ice cream cone and then Roy Halladay struck him out right on the spot, humiliating and emasculating Reyes in front of his family and friends.

“Nothing is over,” it concluded.  ”Nothing.”

Roy Halladay is currently on the disabled list, serving a 15-day sentence because life is a cruel and merciless experience.