Nick, I agree Mark is a smoother and more capable as a host. I don't really applaud CBS' decision or the process of making it, but I can understand it, and again, the show is still running and I'm glad.
I don't think Roger had enough resume to throw weight around the network office. I'd hope they'd have listened and they did keep him as producer, but as far as planning a big transition, he had no currency because the show had famously never made any kind of transition. Saying, "Hey, remember the syndicated version? I told everyone it wouldn't work" wouldn't buy much.
With Mikey, I guess it helps to know the producer. Or be the producer. Also running auditions on the air made that process far different. The year of well-known people trying out gave it Hollywood buzz, and it gave Richards cred as winning the competition for the job.