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What three spots did Z go outside of org to fill during 2009?
CF - Reed replaced by Gut -- VAST improvement in offense.
1B - Branyan replaced Sexson/Lahair -- VAST improvement in offense.
DH - Griffey/Sweeney replaced Vidro -- VAST improvement in offense.
The dreadful performance of the offese in 2009 was "primarily" a result of offensive holdovers from the Bavasi era. Beltre, Yuni, Wlad were all miserable. Yuni and Wlad didn't survive the season.
Reed was considered a defense-first CF. Z didn't get Gut to upgrade the defense - he got Gut to upgrade the offense. He just happened to upgrade both at the same time.
As for Hall. Maybe Z liked Hall. But, he certainly didn't like his Vidro-esque contract.
As for what Z "says" in public. I treat him the same way I treat every phrase by every GM -- "posturing". Maybe Z is more forth-coming than some GMs, but most of what is said in public is for the benefit of the players and other GMs ... to allow him to continue to do business effectively. Any resemblence to the actual truth is generally coincidental.