Power trumps all. The effect of the long ball is felt much more than just on the scoreboard. Thats why you can't post stats about how many runs a guy saves you on defense and equate the two as the same. Bob says it all here. He is in the dugout and sees the effect.

I think, at times," A's manager Bob Melvin said, "when you hit homers, they actually play better than just the runs that are put up on the board. On the other side, it can get you down a bit when guys are hitting the ball out of the ballpark. It just has a different affect than say, maybe, a single with a guy on second base. So it's nice to see our guys hitting the ball over the ballpark, and to get it multiple times in the game creates a lot of momentum for us."

I am going to archive that quote for the next time Barton gets called up.

Dennis

when facing a team that's hitting alot of hrs, it changes how the mgr approaches them. Imo, Parker relaxed a bit yesterday knowing that beyond JoshW, the Twins posed little power threat. A few singles wasn't going to cut into his big lead & as expected he was able to bear down w/ruunners on. With TX/NY coming in, Bob & his pitchers' approach to hitters will change, even when we get the big leads.

"I am going to archive that quote for the next time Barton gets called up."

Personally, I hope to God that day never comes................

Wanna bet if they weren't hitting homeruns but walking, stealing bases and playing great defense and winning because of those things Melvin would have said exactly the opposite? And notice he didn't say every time, but he thinks "at times" hrs have that impact?

I wouldn't look to a managers' rote postgame comments as evidence of what said manager's philosophy is.

This team has been winning lately because they've finally gotten some offense to go with the pitching, which has been the real story.

Well said Dennis!! Great post and excellent quote by the skipper.

I love your sarcasm with Barton. I seriously hope he never wears the green and gold again!

Ever since they dumped Fuentes and Barton the A's have been on fire!!