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Agreed, Doc.
Z has dealt with a firm hand all of the players to whom he has been tied this last offseason, especially Branyan.  We have seen him move on if the player/agent/org was (presumably) not willing to play ball on Z's terms. (Branyan, Harden, Johnson, etc.)
Seems to me that Nero had the cajones to call Z's bluff with arguabley his most valuable client's MLB career hanging in the balance.  Rejecting an offer from this FO might mean living day to day, as Branyan has done since he insisted on a multi-year deal, for the next 2 seasons. 
I am sure, in the end, that both sides were operating with some appreciation for how much one side needed the other:  pre-FA pitchers don't reject 78 mill.-dollar deals, and FO's don't mess around with club-controlled 23 year-old HOF monsters.
I am just so happy that we are going to get to watch Felix deal for the next five seasons.  Is his forearm flexor strong enough for the Boston Swerveball yet? :)