You make some great points, but being "big picture smart" and genuinely caring about players isn't an either/or proposition. In any business, taking care of your people - preferably out of a sincere concern for their welfare - is a good long-term strategy. So the fact that McD and Beane genuinely care about the players is, in fact, being "big picture smart."
Other businesses are starting to see that, due to the shortage of quality workers. Heck, I'm a freelancer and my clients go out of their way to make me happy so I'll continue working for them.