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Interesting to bring up Bedard.
Consider the reality of looking 3 moves ahead.  You ALREADY have a relationship with Bedard, who has pitched well for the team, but has been hurt.  You have some feel for his desire to stick around.  Let's say Bedard, (from the get-go), has been your plan to fill out the rotation -- but, you know he's more likely to be a 2nd half guy.
Let's also assume you have a BUNCH of young, unknown arms, which you can juggle for a couple of months, and during that time, figure out which one(s) are fodder, and which ones are good. 
If you DON'T sign that "extra arm", then you get a better chance to examine the pack of unknowns for 1/2 a season - and THEN bring in Bedard for the 2nd half, (w/o having to trade specs to get him).  So, assuming Felix, Lee, RRS, Snell, (???) as the rotation, you get to see Snell, RRS and the current crop of wannabes until Bedard is ready.  They "get a chance" to prove themselves.  In (June?) Bedard steps in for whichever is the weakest performer.  Could be the F-troop in the #5 slot (Fister, French, Fodder) -- or maybe it's RRS or Snell that flops.
When you've lost 100, the last thing you need is stability.  When you've won 85, then you NEED to foster a "sense" of stability as you attempt to move forward. 
Branyan, Bedard and even Wash could all help create a foundation of stability the organization needs in order to move forward "effectively".  I believe that the pack mentality of wanting the next shiniest thing "out there" can EASILY turn into a self-defeating process. 
I think Z understands this dynamic, which is why he commented on the growing stability for the team moving ahead.