Beyond the Boxscore got a hold of our favorite Padres front officer. It's a good read, and includes some tidbits that we knew about and some that we didn't. This we kinda knew about, but it's great to reiterate:
I think makeup is critical. This game is a grind, and consequently it takes tremendous mental toughness to succeed. Makeup is often what separates the Championship players from the rest of the pack. Nobody on talent alone is a Championship player. The chemistry element, which I think you're hinting at, is much trickier. I don't know that anyone has figured out the alchemy involved there. I don't think many people would doubt its' importance, but I for one question our ability to manufacture it. You're talking about very complex interactions.
For reference, here's our interview with DePo from last year: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.