Right there with you regarding bats... composite bats are so forgiving. Hitting a ball way up the bat will still result in a hard hit ball. Hitting a baseball in the same place on a wooden bat, weak dribbler easy out. Bats and field size are a major consideration in this debateSeen my DD has hit line drive doubles over 3rd baseman with ball hitting the bat an inch above the connector. There is zero sting in that grey ghost. So not only are bats hot, the whole bat is hittable. Bats matter.