The wins have perse value, if you are not willing to pay you will not be successful.
The tactic of "despair" is a good tactic in a free agency full of s*** like this (Ubaldo 30s, Ervin 30s dingers, Garza-injury , Arroyo 40s, Drew pick # 40-45); if Alex use this tactic in free agency with names like Scherzer, Lester, Rasmus, Cueto, Masterson, Shields, Headley, Hanley, Sandoval then he would be a very inefficient GM.