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The second point that you missed is "impact on OTHER people".
I've said a number of times, one cannot establish orgaizational culture through words - you have to do so by ACTION.   Player development "must" take into account how decisions effect the players and coaches and future decisions AROUND a choice.  When the club elected to bring back Junior and Sweeney, it had an impact on all other DH potentials.  When they continued to trot the .500 OPS Griffey out day after day, it was an ACTION that effects the club's cred in regards to "entitlement".
There is "veteran entitlement" and "prospect entitlement".  Both are detrimental to organizational success.  Most players, with egos the size of Nebraska, are understandably annoyed when the 'uber-prospect' skips levels that they have to take in steps.  this doesn't mean you can NEVER promote aggressively, or skip steps -- it just means you have to be REAL careful it doesn't undermine your cred and development of everyone else.
If you promote Ackley (the #2) while he's hitting .700 - then every guy in AA hitting .800 and up has a LEGIMATE gripe of "why him and not me?"  Of course, after you PLAY with a guy for a month, it is possible to see the same things coaches and scouts see.  Players understand - "this guy is special" in a way fans cannot.  But, this REQUIRES for those other players to get a chance to see for themselves.
You send Pineda to Tacoma for a month or two, and the other pitchers THERE, who might have felt slighted if he had been jumped directly from AA to the Bigs will likely feel differently. 
The patience with Strasburg may not have helped HIS development.  But, even though it was only 55 innings, and he crushed the opposition ... it CERTAINLY helped create enthusiasm for two of Washington's minor league affiliates.  And it also was a hedge - a risk limit on a direct promotion.  "If" he stumbled at AAA, you can afford to be patient, because the Nats weren't going to compete in 2010 anyway.
And, of course, all those guys at AA and AAA who saw him, understand FIRST HAND, how special he is.  And they also have a subtle carrot -- if they want to play with him again - they BETTER work their buns off.
All that said - this doesn't mean step-by-step promotion is absolute.  It's not.  But, you better be REAL clear when you diverge from the norm that it can (and likely will) have consequences beyond the immediate decision.  The Braves plan was to start Heyward in AAA this year -- but he played his way into the starting lineup during ST - and he starred.
McCann skipped a level, too, IIRC.  (And the Braves traded away Saltamachia once they were locked in on McCann). 
Me?  I think the ENTIRE Seattle development machine is better served by the choice to move Pineda to Tacoma.  And if Lee is gone by the end of the month and Pineda replaces him, I'll view at as a near perfect balance of helping the team and helping the ORG.  A guy like Shell won't have to wonder - "why not me?" after a month of watching Pineda destroy the opposition.  He WILL have an idea of how much better he needs to be in order to get that call.