Why submit a "disrespectful offer"?

Yes, times are tough. Yes, Buyers are hoping that they can really get a rock-bottom deal. But what's the point of submitting an offer that's so much lower than anything in the neighborhood? I realize that we are supposed to submit what a Buyer requests, but don't you just wonder whether the offering agent has even had a little talk with his/her Buyer about the result that is sure to come (not just a refusal to counter, but bad feelings as well)? And if the Buyer still wishes to take that approach, perhaps it's time for the agent to cut that Buyer loose; time is valuable - who wants to be constantly writing up offers that will go nowhere?