I agree, Ducati should get Bayliss back in WSB - fantastic!!!
Based on your thoughts, I'm not sure that Hodgson could cut it either, the standards have improved, Xaus seems to have stepped his level up (but looks certain to stay in Moto GP), there are a lot of newer riders who are stepping up.
Perhaps for WSB it was a "gap year" where they sort themselves out and come back nexy year with a much higher level series.
Tim