June 9 -- FEELING A DRAFT

BY SCOTT LAUBER

NEW YORK -- Do you recognize this man?

No? Don't worry about it. Marti Wolever does most of his work away from the spotlight. Since 2002, he has been the Phillies' scouting director, which means he criss-crosses the country, mining for talented players and figuring out what it will take for the Phillies to draft them. Today, of course, is Wolever's chance to shine. The annual first-year player draft begins today, and it will be up to Wolever and his team of scouts to add the next wave of players to the Phillies' farm system.

This year will be a little different from the previous few. Because they signed a Type A free agent in the offseason (Raul Ibanez), the Phillies forfeited their first-round pick. Thus, they won't take their turn until the 75th overall selection. Is there talent to be found at that spot? Sure. In 2000, the Expos (remember them?) drafted Grady Sizemore with the No. 75 pick. In 2005, the Braves picked Yunel Escobar. Tino Martinez was the 75th overall pick back in 1985. And, just last year, there were few picks the Phillies were more excited about than 6-foot-5 right-hander Jason Knapp, whom they selected 71st overall.

A few of you have asked, via e-mails or blog comments, whether I have any idea which direction the Phillies will go with No. 75. The short answer: I haven't a clue. The baseball draft is a notorious crapshoot. Sure, Wolever and his crew have a long list of players, but because many are selected straight out of high school, there often isn't a discernible difference between them at this point. Wolever said the Phillies are targeting left-handed pitchers and position players, namely outfielders. Typically, Wolever likes "high-ceiling" athletes. He beamed last year when the Phillies picked infielder Anthony Hewitt in the first round, then drafted Zach Collier and Anthony Gose. So, if there's a good athlete available at No. 75, it's a good bet Wolever will be all over him. One player I've heard a little about, probably because of his famous uncle, is Reymond Fuentes Beltran, a lefty-hitting center fielder who runs the 60-yard dash in about 6.2 seconds. Some people have said he could still be around at No. 75. Others have said he'll be gone before then. Who knows?

Regardless, while the Phillies and Mets open a three-game series tonight at Citi Field, Wolever and the scouting staff will be holed up at the Bank, scanning their reports and phoning agents and selecting players who will begin the long climb toward the majors.

The importance of their choices cannot be underestimated.

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Speaking of Phillies-Mets, here's a primer for the big showdown in Flushing:

PHILLIES (33-22) at METS (30-25)
Tonight, 7:10: LHP J.A. Happ (4-0, 2.48) vs. LHP Johan Santana (7-3, 2.00)
Tomorrow, 7:10: LHP Cole Hamels (4-2, 4.40) vs. RHP Mike Pelfrey (4-2, 4.85)
Thursday, 7:10: LHP Jamie Moyer (4-5, 6.27) vs. RHP Tim Redding (0-2, 6.97)
Hot: Phillies C Carlos Ruiz is batting .410 (16-for-39) with three homers and eight RBIs in his last 14 games, raising his average to a season-high .309; Phillies CF Shane Victorino, who leads the league with five triples, is batting .378 (28-for-74) with one homer, eight RBIs and 13 runs in his last 18 games; Mets 3B David Wright has nine hits in his last 13 at-bats and ranks third in the league with a .345 average; Mets 1B/OF Fernando Tatis has four hits in his last 10 at-bats.
Not: Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins is 6-for-36 (.167) in his last eight games and was moved out of the leadoff spot Sunday night in Los Angeles; Phillies closer Brad Lidge, previously 5-for-5 in save chances, blew back-to-back saves last weekend and is 13-for-19 in save opportunities with a 7.27 ERA; Mets LF Gary Sheffield, who may start all three games against the Phillies' three left-handers, is mired in a 1-for-17 slump; 1B Daniel Murphy has four hits in his last 24 at-bats (.167).