Probably 95% of the time that's just doesn't happen... and you carry over a faster runner to the top of the order that you benefit from the entire game. Put it this way, if Justin Smoak bats 9th then every single plate appearance is in front of Jose Bautista & Josh Donaldson. I'm sorry but that's a much harder guy to drive in. The benefit of a Travis, Upton, Pillar type guy exceeds the difference of 7th/8th/9th order imo. This is really only the case because of the DH benefit in the AL, in the NL I'd have the pitcher 9th every game and every game Josh Thole plays regardless.