maybe the 1st time you have seen it - but a few years ago Tony La Russa did it for quite a few games. his thought was the 9 hitter would serve as sort of a "double leadoff" man - in that get the 8 hitting pitcher out of the way and have 9 and 1 be sort of like 1 and 2 in the lineup
and if you are robert andino - how are you feeling right about now - hitting BEHIND the pitcher