Pitchers Batting 8th

I guess I am missing the point of a pitcher batting 8th in the lineup in Major League Baseball. I can understand it when a pitcher is a slugger like Micah Owings of the Arizona Diamondbacks, but not that many pitchers can hit.

It seems to me like they are giving up an out to early in the game. If the first inning goes 1-2-3 and then in the second inning, you get some guys on and make it to the 8 spot, most likely the inning is over. I'd rather have a hitter batting 8th and be at the plate with 2 outs and a man on 1st and 2nd/3rd and have the pitcher thinking, oh, I can pitch around this guy somewhat, because the pitcher is up next, than have a pitcher at the dish and have the pitcher on the mound take it to him.

I read a blog that said, the philosophy was, the pitcher would be thinking 8-hole when the pitcher was batting and pitch differently and subsequently, thinking 9-hole with the hitter up. That makes no sense to me. Even in little league, without numbers and names on the jerseys, the pitcher still knows who is up at the plate.

Well, like my previous blog. You can go to The Baseball Mall and buy a game and simulate the season with the pitcher batting 8th, vs. the pitcher batting 9th and see which team scores more runs.....