It may be difficult to fathom, but the MLB draft is longer than the NFL draft. It begins tonight and doesn't end until late Thursday afternoon.

But just because you may not recognize the vast majority of names being selected, you should pay some attention to the draft if you're a Phillies fan since the vast majority of the marquee players on their current roster (the second best team in baseball, as I type) were originally drafted by the team (or in Brad Lidge's case, acquired in a trade involving homegrown prospects).

The Phils don't pick until the second round, the 75th selection overall. They lost their first-round pick when they signed Raul Ibanez over the winter (no, they're surely not regretting that decision).


But don't think you can't get a productive, future major league player at No.75. Cleveland All-Star center fielder Grady Sizemore was taken 75th overall by the Montreal Expos in 2000 and Atlanta selected current shortstop Yunel Escobar with the 75th pick in 2005.

The baseball draft is also a bit of a crap shoot, for lack of a better description, meaning teams can often find future big leaguers in later rounds as often as they find them in early rounds.

Here is just a sampling of seven players who have suited up for the Phillies this year who were selected after the 75th pick:

Ryan Howard - 140th pick (5th round in 2001)
Shane Victorino - 194th pick (6th round by the Dodgers in 1999)
Ryan Madson - 254th pick (9th round in 1998)
J.A. Happ - 92nd pick (3rd round in 2004)
Raul Ibanez - 1,006th pick (36th round by Mariners in 1992)

Lou Marson - 122nd pick (4th round in 2004)
Jamie Moyer - 135th pick (6th round in 1984)

The draft begins at 6 p.m. tonight and it will be televised on the MLB Network.