Freeman

HRs are overrated. I consistently finish at the bottom in HRs and sometimes even get out homered two to one and still make the playoffs.

They're not overrated if you're playing in a regular park, and they're certainly not overrated if you're playing in a power park; they become essential. I, myself, have made the playoffs many times by leading the league in homers or being at the top of the list. There is nothing wrong with (or over-rated about) 1-4 runs with one swing of the bat.

For a first baseman, this becomes even more prevalent since 1b is a power position that holds little defensive value.

Uh-oh! Close the book on the Freeman debate, the professor has spoken

Poor Steve writes another troll post I get to report to SOM. And a childish laughy face on another cogent post he didn't read...there truly are second childhoods.

My take: Home runs cause some individual players to be over-rated; Dave Kingman comes to mind as an old example.

My take: Home runs cause some individual players to be over-rated; Dave Kingman comes to mind as an old example.

That of course is a very different thing from home-runs being over-rated themselves. And many statistics/accomplishments--including strikeouts (for pitchers), batting average, and stolen bases--can cause individual players to be over-rated, not just home runs.

I'm also not sure how over-rated Kingman was. Almost all baseball writers, and most baseball fans, knew Kingman was a subpar player with only one immense talent of hitting the ball out of the park.

Anthony Rizzo said home runs are overrated.

...and, of course, Anthony Rizzo is all-knowing God.

By the batting runs formula, a home run is worth a single and triple. A home run and an out is worth less than the single + triple.

Radagast's statement made me check my recent teams; despite usually not having big sluggers, my winning teams consistently outhomer the opponents. My losing teams wind up on the short end of that comparison. Rad's experience apparently is different, but I would guess winning teams usually hit more HR than they give up.

I was a little bit kidding when I wrote, "HRs are overrated" . However I could post any of my teams at random and you would see I almost always make the playoffs while being near the bottom or dead last in HRs.

I'm sure you have. I've seen lots of teams in pitchers parks win without home runs. As I said in my initial post, it's all contingent on the park you choose. As someone who eschews pitcher's parks, myself, I definitely share Earl Weaver's and Billy Beane's affinity for the long ball.