Yeah but what if there isn't as big of a drop? What if Mike Trout hit behind Bonds - do they walk him as much? Does he hit even more HR's?
Again - I realise the numbers suggest lineup protection isn't at thing, but mentally, if Bonds is up in the 9th with the tying run is at 2nd and 2 outs and Rich Aurilia is on deck - I'm going to make Aurilia beat me. If Trout is on deck, well f*** me, I might pitch to Bonds.
Flip it around, if Jeff Kent is up in the 9th with the tying run is at 2nd and 2 outs and Barry Bonds is on deck - I'm sure as f*** going to go right after Kent. There's no way in hell I'm going to walk him and bring Bonds up.
I think it exists - just there are so few situations that arise like that during the course of a season that it ends up being negligible...