Picks 1 through 5

Houston Astros
With the first overall pick in the fantasy draft the Houston Astros select...Mike Stanton. Entering his third season the Miami slugger will only be 22. There are lots of options here. Houston needs offense so they could have taken the best hitter in the game, Albert Pujols, but that isn't really a fit for them. Pujols is on the wrong side of 30 and the Astros are a long way away from contention. They finished with a league worst record 56-106. With no immediate help from the farm and having traded star outfielder Hunter Pence, 2012 could possibly be worse. Who knows how many games they will lose? It will not be pretty. Therefore drafting even young stars like Evan Longoria and Troy Tulowitzki does not make sense. They will probably be in their 30's by this team even has a remote shot at being relative. The Astros need someone who will still be young by the time young prospects Jordan Lyles, George Springer, and Jonathan Singleton will have developed into quality major-leaguers.

In the early 2000's the Killer B's (Beltran, Bagwell, Biggio, and Berkman) made Houston's lineup into one of the most feared in baseball. Now Houston lacks a single masher on their lineup. Carlos Lee put up respectable numbers as he hit .275 with 18 home runs, but the rest of the lineup was dismal. Even as a 21 year old, Stanton would have been significantly better than anyone in Houston lineup. The young slugger hit 34 home runs, good for fourth best in the National League. Stanton has already hit 56 home runs in his first two seasons, but that is not anywhere near his ceiling. Scouts consider Stanton's raw power far and away better then body in major league baseball. With a couple seasons under his belt he should become one of baseball's premiere sluggers. I would be surprised if he did not hit 50 home runs at least once in his career. His raw power is that good. He should regularly contend for home run crowns.

Ultimate Draft of Franchise Players

One piece, sometimes that all it takes. It could be one pitcher to get a struggling rotation over the hump and into October. Maybe it is one young star slugger for a low market team to build around. Or is it one more perennial all-star to get a team from the playoffs to the fall classic. Every team could use that one guy. Every GM fantasizes about acquiring that one guy to build a team around. Usually money and free agency gets in the way of that. As much as the Kansas City Royals would have loved to have signed slugger Albert Pujols this winter, with their low budget payroll they could never really could have considered that. But what if they didn't have to go bankrupt to or trade away the farm to acquire such a star? What if each team had a chance to draft a franchise player? In the coming days I will hold a one round fantasy draft. Each team will have one opportunity to select that key guy.

Sox Closer To Phillies

Red Sox Closer Johnathan Papelbon has recently agreed to a 4-year 50 million dollar contract with Philadelphia, pending a physical. The newly inked contract will also include a vesting option for the 2016 season. Papelbon broke into the league in 2005 with the Red Sox as a starter, but made the transition to the team's closer the following season. In his first full season, Papelbon enjoyed a sensational rookie campaign, recording a minuscule 0.92 ERA and while saving 35 games. Between 2006 and 2011 Papelbon earned well over 30 saves in each season, including a career high 41 in the 2008 season. Papelbon has established himself as an elite closer, and he wanted to be payed like it from day one. Well he got his wish.

So how does this affect the Red Sox? First off, Papelbon was a type-A free agent so Boston will receive the 31st overall pick in the 2012 amateur draft as compensation for their loss. In the past, the Theo Epstein led-Red Sox were extremely successful at turning these compensation picks into solid major league players. It will interesting to see if newly appointed GM Ben Cherrington will carry on his success. Their are also many viable options to replace Papelbon. Many people believe that fire balling set-up man Daniel Bard could step in to the closer roll. I personally would not have a problem with this. Although he struggled down the stretch in 2011, he is very talented and has developed nicely since breaking into the league in 2009. Although many pitchers can't cut it as a closer, give the kid a chance. He may not have the mindset of Brian Wilson or Pap, you never know. Danny Kolber of CSN Sports also claims that the Sox have been linked to Heath Bell and Ryan Madson.  Former all-star closer Bobby Jenks also has a shot at the job. It is unlikely though, as he is coming off a disastrous 2011 season with the Red Sox. http://twitter.com/#!/DKnobler/status/135093770688532480

Hello Blogesphere!

Hello Blogeshphere! This is my humble attempt at a Red Sox hot stove blog. We're in for a chilly winter so hopefully our Sox will make some moves to heat things up. It is going to be an interesting offseason that for sure. Who will be taking the helm to replace Tito? What kind of moves will Ben Cherrington make in his debute season in Beantown? Will keystone players David Ortiz and Jon Papelbon be back for the 2012 campaing? I will voice my opinions and supply you guys will constant updates on all things Red Sox.