I don't know what you're trying to add here. I didn't say that Snod is wrong. I simply said that we can't say for sure whether they're doing better because they acquired better players, or if they're doing better because Lovullo is managing the team better. I mean Walker is the perfect guy to look at. Clearly he's contributing to their success and he's a new addition. So that does mean it has nothing to do with the manager's skills? Or does the fact that his FIP is down 1.5 runs compared to last year suggest that Lovullo fixed something? I don't know. But neither do you, and that's why the question isn't necessarily answered by simply pointing to what AZ' new additions are contributing.Except his point is backed up with the Diamondback's additions this year and their statistical contributions this year, which he cited, but there is almost nothing you can look at to answer your hypothetical situation. The Red Sox are .3 off their pythag, and the D'backs are 1.4 games worse than theirs.
The Sox have not been great at converting runners on base into runs, but that's just bad luck. Hopefully, it will change.
The larger question here that's been discussed in various places over the last couple of years is whether Farrell maximizes the talent of the roster. It's clearly a subjective issue. Pointing to Lovullo's success over a quarter of a season doesn't answer it one way or the other.