Baldelli, a mesmerizing talent whose lean frame, Italian surname and graceful athleticism in center field once conjured up memories of a young Joe DiMaggio, has missed 359 games with serious knee and elbow injuries the last three seasons.

Now, as he struggles with an ailment that affects his body's production of adenosine triphosphate, a chemical that helps muscles recover from activity, there are fears his career may be over at age 26.

News of Baldelli's latest setback didn't go unnoticed in Phillies camp, where team officials have long been impressed with his skills.

Eight years ago, the Phils were so enamored with Baldelli that they may have picked him over Chase Utley in the first round of the 2000 draft, had he still been available. In subsequent years, the Phils explored the idea of trading for Baldelli, but found a package that began with pitcher Brett Myers too expensive.

Things have worked out pretty well for the Phillies. Myers has been a fixture on the pitching staff for several seasons, and Utley, well, he's arguably the best player to come out of the 2000 draft.

"The crystal ball is not always real shiny on draft day," said assistant general manager Mike Arbuckle, recalling the 2000 draft. "If Baldelli would have been available, it would really have been a toss-up between him and Utley. It would have been one of those serious draft-morning discussions."

Leading up to the 2000 draft, there were signs that the Phillies favored Baldelli. The Phils had the 15th pick that June. Judging from their conversations with other clubs, they believed Baldelli would be available at that spot, but they were worried about the Rays, who picked sixth.

Phillies scouts watched all of Baldelli's games at Bishop Hendricken High School in Rhode Island that spring. Arbuckle made a special trip there 10 days before the draft and loved what he saw. A few days before the draft, he sent his top aide, current scouting director Marti Wolever, to watch Baldelli play.

The weather was iffy, but the game was played. Wolever called Arbuckle after the game and raved about Baldelli. Then Wolever's voice deepened and he informed Arbuckle that the Rays had sent a team of four scouts to the game, including then general manager Chuck LaMar, who, coincidentally now works for the Phillies.

Once Arbuckle heard that Rays broke up their pre-draft meetings to send a battalion of scouts to Rhode Island, he knew Baldelli would not be available at 15. Sure enough, the Rays picked Baldelli sixth overall. In subsequent years, Arbuckle recalled the 2000 draft and said he believed Baldelli might have slipped to 15 if only that pre-draft game had been rained out and the Rays scouts didn't get one final look at the player.

Now?

"Obviously we're thrilled with the player we got," Arbuckle said of Utley, who has blossomed into the game's best second baseman, an offensive force and a franchise pillar who has started two All-Star Games.

The Rays' evaluations on Baldelli at the time of the 2000 draft were dead on. He was a starter in the majors three years later, at the age of 21. He hit .285 with 27 homers and 152 RBIs his first two seasons. Then the injuries started, and now this.

In a news conference Wednesday, Baldelli was near tears as he talked about all the tests he has undergone to try to find out what has sapped his energy and caused extreme fatigue. He said he has "some type of metabolic and/or mitochondrial abnormality." It is not life-threatening, but it is definitely career-threatening, because the prognosis for recovery is uncertain.

The stories behind Baldelli and Utley show how fickle and unpredictable the baseball draft is.

How could 14 teams have passed on Utley?

Who could have foreseen a physical specimen such as Baldelli being so frequently felled by injury?

"I hope they figure out what's going on, because Rocco is still young enough to get back," Arbuckle said of the player he scouted eight years ago. "Not only does he have great ability, but we got to know him before that draft and he's a great kid and a great worker. You wish him the best."

On Baseball:

The career of Rocco Baldelli (above) has gone seriously downhill since the middle of the 2006 season. Here are his career statistics, all with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Year    G       AB    R       H       2B    3B    HR    RBI    BA

2003    156    637    89    184     32     8      11     78    .289

2004    136    518    79    145     27     3      16     74    .280

2005 (missed the season with knee and elbow injuries)

2006    92    364    59    110     24     6    16     57    .302

2007    35    137    16    28     6     0       5       12    .204

Total    419 1656    243    467     89    17    48    221    .282