So if we put our best hitters 7th, 8th, and 9th, it wouldn't affect the number of runs scored? Obviously, you bat your best OBP hitters 1st and 2nd, with the RBI hitters 3rd, 4th, 5th, & 6th, if for no other reason than they will bat more often during the game (and season). Basically, the research says that any reasonable lineup won't make a big difference. Obviously sticking your pitcher 1 and your worst hitters 7-9 will hurt, but shifting your 1-5 around doesn't seem to make much difference