Weekly Link Round-Up

An assortment of worthwhile reads from around the blogosphere.

• Joe Soriano at Call to the Pen breaks down the Padres’ acquisition of Carlos Quentin. Did San Diego’s lineup just get a little scarier? Well, yes. But emphasize the word “little.”

• Chicken Friars’ Chris Kelly thinks that the Pads really don’t have anything to lose, considering the prospects they surrendered in the deal.

• Purple Row rings in the New Year right with a some good rhymes.

• Around the Foghorn’s Ashley Varela gives us a list of New Year’s resolutions for the Giants to try to keep. I say they should go for broke and try to put up as FEW runs a game as possible, you know, like in golf. Just for fun!

• Of the one-year deal pitching candidates outlined by MLB Trade Rumors, which one should the Rockies be gunning for? You know what I’m going to say. Kevin Millwood. GET IT DONE DOD.

• MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes lists the Rockies’ trades of Huston Street and Chris Iannetta among the six most surprising of this offseason. Certainly Netta was a surprise, but Street has been on the block since July. The surprise, perhaps, is in which team took him.

• Justin Hunter makes an excellent argument for how known users of performance-enhancing drugs should be dealt with when their names come up on the Hall of Fame ballot.

• Purple Row’s Andrew Fisher gives us a comprehensive overview of the National League West’s moves this offseason. Which is the team to beat? Duh, guys. The D-backs. Though the Dodgers clearly think they’re the ones.

• Nobody starts a bogus internet rumor like Justin Klugh.

• Ryan Wood’s story of his 20-year-old Ken Griffey Jr. chocolate bar better warm your heart. If it doesn’t, you should check to make sure it’s till beating.

• Alas, poor Russell Wilson. We knew him … but only for a minute.

• Can someone just take Seth Smith already? This has been like peeling a band-aid off so slowly you can’t even see it move.

• Predominantly Orange’s Kim Constantinesco judges you if you sold your tickets to today’s Broncos game to a Steelers fan. And so do I! Get on out to Sports Mile Invesco Authority High Field and support the only good pro sports team in Denver this year!

• Yes, it’s uber depressing that we’ve lost three former first-round draft picks so far this offseason. But as Andrew Martin points out, everybody since 2006 is still with us. No pressure Christian Friedrich, but it could be on your shoulders to turn this thing around.