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1.  Ron Gant, David Justice and Terry Pendleton were all impact bats (and all 127-140 that particular season).
Both Gant and Justice were thrilling young players who had OPS'ed 140 the year before.  
The 1991 Braves were comparable to a 2012 M's team if Justin Smoak and Dustin Ackley were to OPS 140 in 2011. 
What a terrible comparison to this '010 M's team.  Of COURSE you could go "value" acquisitions around a pair of 140-OPS youngsters.
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2.  All principles are relative.  It's hard to find a 102-win team with a mediocre pitching staff, but the 1976 Reds managed it.  It doesn't mean you want to try to win 100 with mediocre pitching, or that you want to try to contend without a single RBI man.
3.  If your point is that you don't need a "name" bat, I agree -- though Justice and Gant were of course "name" bats. 
I'd have been glad to have a couple of Russell Branyan types.  I'd have been thrilled with Justice, Gant, a "value" Pendleton acquisition and savvy moves to back them up.
Names aren't the point.  These guys thought you didn't need to hit to win, 'cause they play in Safeco and thought they could win 3-2 every night.