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And I wouldn't expect other GM's to pull signings like Brett Boone or Arthur Rhodes out of a hat like he did, where a guy goes from being more or less ML-average to all-star and MVP caliber right after he joins your team.
What Zduriencik may lack in scouting is the fine sense of personality and how the player fits in with the team he has assembled. Gillick is a rare breed in that sense, because he was so ridiculously deep in to knowing the players themselves.
That would be my concern going forward - that the tools scouting becomes clouded by a team that has clashing personalities. That the manager isn't a good fit with the players' personalities (ala Wakamatsu).
What we see now seems encouraging. Wedge is consistent and confident and tough, and the kids seem resilient. Overall the young kids are quieter and more passive than I'd like. Felix is awesome, but he only pitches every five days. This team needs a Buhner type. Someone who plays every day and has the results to back up some swagger.
Honestly, I think Carp provides a measure of that attitude; I think his absence has hurt more than we realize. And Ryan is nails-tough. But the free-wheeling, confident, happy arrogance is missing. This team needs that... A QB to say, 'we want the ball and we're going to score'. A right fielder who says, 'forget the wild card, we're going to win the division'. A manager to say, 'This series is going back to Seattle' :-)