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In regards to what starters Z allowed to take their lumps in the Bigs:
2009: I would start with Vargas ... but would include Jakubauskas and Olson.
2010: Fister ... Pauley ... Luke French ...
2011: Pineda ... Beavan ... Furbush ... Wilhelmsen ... Lueke
2012: Noesi ... Luetge ... Erasmo
I think Z and the org have consistently been going with the guys the "felt" were the most ready guys every year.
It has not always worked out, (French, Olson, Noesi). But, there is both a willingness to allow a player to learn .... AND a willingness to send down for tweaking.
People forget that early on the read on Z was he was better with bats than arms, since Guti and Branyan were considered big wins, while Vargas, Olson, French were all initially considered busts.
Of course, after Figgins and Kotchman, the read on Jack and bats went south ... meanwhile, Vargas clicked and then Fister and Pineda turned Jack into a sage of pitching talent.
For me, what makes Jack so valuable is NOT that he gets every call correct, (he doesn't - nor does anyone else). But, he seems to have a good balance between giving guys "enough" time to work through the rough spots - but he is willing to give up and move on when he feels he has a better option.
He did not fall in love with Branyan ... or Jaso ... or Pineda, Fister, Vargas ... League.