I'm by no means RRR's biggest fan, but just because the decision is being framed that way publicly does not mean that's how it actually came down. In fact if I was a veteran and was faced with that decision I'd want it to seem like it was my choice too.
I read that and was amazed that Jim Bowden was ever an executive. Surely he has to be realistic to see that no team would do that deal from the Brewers perspective. A double downgrade with the face of the franchise leaving? He must think he was playing OOTP.