BYO clone recipe question - extra pale malt?

Even though I'm really not into brewing clones, I thought I could learn a lot by buying BYO's special issue with 250 clone recipes. It's been very interesting to read, but I noticed something in the extract recipes that seems rather odd: even when there are no adjuncts that need mashing, they call for mashing a pound of pale malt. I don't get it. This isn't something I've ever heard of before, and it seems to be a needless step. I've never read BYO before, and I didn't see any rationale for it in that issue, so could someone please explain this to me? Thanks!

Do they still want you to mash it at 152 for 60 min. (or whatever your usual mash protocol is), or do they just want you to treat it like steeping grains and let it sit for 15-30 min.? You're right, I wouldn't think one pound would do much as far as fermentables are concerned, but maybe it would lend some proteins to the beer? I know some previous extract-steeping kits I did included things like munich or vienna that should really be mashed, and always assumed it was just to get a little of the proteins/flavor out of them, not necessarily sugars. Although you wouldn't think there would be too many flavors to extract from pale malt