Really, whilst this is all very amusing, it kind of raises a totally different question. Does the skill in batmaking lie in shaping the back of the blade or in the pressing and initial works? I'd argue that the part of the process that adds the most value is the pressing as anyone (puts his hand up) can mutilate the back of a bat and find that as long as it is pressed okay, it will work very effectively).
Is the theory of pricing that the OP is postulating therefore coming from the wrong direction?