Too many equals deaths?

Someone mentioned that there are too many bat characters and every time I hear that phrase it reminds me of these arguments I find online. How you could or should only have a certain number of characters related to a certain brand. Back when DOTF was coming out I remember talk of an actual death to "cut down the family." There was also debate of whether writers usually have this in mind for events. 

I mean it's possible but at the moment I don't see writers listing these characters down and making a check list of the ones their killing within a year. Shouldn't deaths have more meaning than keeping numbers down? I know deaths are considered for certain things like Infinite Crisis but that's a larger scope story.

I might not like a huge bat family since some are ignored (anyone remember Bette Kane?) and the way others are handled. But I dunno, I can ignore most of it to focus on what I enjoy. It sucks when the characters you love are killed and even if I don't care/know all of the newer ones I'd feel for the ones that do.