It is more important to show an idea can be balanced without destroying the card than it is to actually balance the card. Balancing the card is the ideal way to show this quality though.
Please explain.
Every card that Zanz adds to the game is put In Development for a final pass of balancing (involving playtesting). Thus it is of primary importance that a card can be balanced.
Balancing a card is the ideal means of showing it can be balanced. (Crusader was so balanced that it did not change when In Development)