Major League Baseball is in the midst of its own “super shoes” controversy. Players are wielding bats shaped like torpedoes, and are being called—appropriately, in our estimation—“torpedo bats.” They’re not brand-new, but after the New York Yankees’ ridiculous nine home-run performance against the Brewers last weekend (including three straight homers to kick off the game), baseball fans have questions.

Stop us if any of the following sounds familiar.

The bats aid sluggers in slugging through their increased heft in the middle portion of the bat, where contact is made with the ball. Player adoption has been slow, because frankly, the bats look goofy compared to conventional ones. Those who use them skirt a fine line between singing their praises and downplaying the extent to which their improved hitting is a result of them. And players speculate that not all hitters will receive the same degree of benefit from them.

Any significant advancement in sports technology is likely to ruffle some feathers. Change is inherently scary. Performance-boosting equipment makes it harder to compare historic performances to modern ones. And there’s always concern that the focus will shift away from athletes and competition and toward the sporting goods manufacturers vying against one another in a materials arms race.

But baseball fans, learn from our mistakes. Please do not fall into the trap from which track and field fans are only just now clawing our way out. We’re nearly a decade into the super shoe era, and you’ll still find plenty of diehard running fans grumbling about how fancy foams and increased stack heights are killing the sport. Well, unless track has actually died and we are all in the trafterlife… the sport is not dead. In many ways, it’s more exciting to follow now than at any point in recent memory.

The key is to keep your eye on the ball and/or finish line, depending on your preferred sporting metaphor. The ultimate goal in running races is to beat your peers. Running fast makes it more likely you’ll win, but somebody can always run faster. The time posted is secondary. In baseball, the goal is to outscore the opposing team; dingin’ homers is helpful to that end, but there are other inputs that go into a winning performance. These auxiliary statistics should add to the fun, not detract from it. So if you find yourself frustrated by perpetually re-written batting records and higher scoring affairs, take a beat and reflect on the fact that the sport you love is still there, only with slightly more RBIs.

Much like track and field, baseball is a sport full of old-timers and cranks who would rather endlessly debate the ethics of swinging on 3-0 pitches than sit back, swig an overpriced bear, and enjoy America’s pastime without question. But it’s also a game that has shown a real willingness to evolve, with innovations ranging from advanced metrics to pitch clocks to the introduction of the automated strike zone. And it’s still easily recognizable as the same game played by Babe Ruth and Ted Williams.

So as we wag our fingers knowingly and preemptively chide baseball fans for freaking out about bat technology, let’s also take a lesson using our long-distance view from the cheap seats: changes that can seem earth-shattering in the moment are unlikely to actually destroy the very foundation of the sport you love.

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