Welcome to the forum AndySkinUK. One of our moderators (RedskinRat) is a UK expatriot, so perhaps the two of you can discuss kidney pies and other inedibles.
The Pierce offer is a blow - primarily because he is the best availble young MLB with 4-3 experience. Bell is similar, but since he has played so much more, he has a lot more wear on him. Hartwell is a stud, but has played 3-4 for the bulk of his career.
I have a lot of faith in Williams' ability to prepare his players. Pierce became an extension of Williams on the field, which helped everyone learn the scheme. The majority of our starters will have experience now, so the loss isn't as bad as it could be. Still, if that's the offer on the table and we can still match it, I'd do so.