It is the consensus that swings are as important as attributes in this game, but that view, as far as I can tell, is based on anecdotal accounts. I understand how a stance could create or remove a visual obstruction, or a stride could offer a visual cue that affects timing, but there are only a few unique swings in the game (eight, if I remember correctly), and they are spread evenly over approximately two thousand players. For example, hundreds of other players have the same swing type as Mike Trout, but most are not lauded for their swings (ignoring that Trout had the best attributes in the game for most of the year).
I've also seen comments suggesting that different swings produce different exit velocities or launch angles. Proper data would control at least for parks, hitters, pitchers, difficulty, and player aptitude. As far as I know, launch angle is determined solely by the vertical relationship of the PCI to the ball. Exit velocity is determined primarily by attributes and quality of timing and contact; other factors come into play, including RNG, but the swing type, if it makes any difference, must surely be minimal in comparison.
Perhaps there is a psychological boost to believing that swings separate hitters from their ratings. It certainly makes the game seem more open to creativity and nuance, as the mere pursuit of higher attributes is a dry affair.
What part of the conversation am I missing?