It depends what you call the "home row" and where you keep your fingers.
If you expect to use these shortcuts (typically with the outer fingers of your hands) your hands will rest at a slightly higher position in your keyboard, with the pinkies near Esc and Del, and the thumbs near the spacebar. (Other fingers over the letters.)
I guess it depends on what you've trained yourself to do.
I don't think I've seen anyone with their fingers stretched out or diagonal like that as a 'home row' position, though. It makes much more sense to 'default' to having your hands somewhat straight and on the keys you're likely to press more regularly (the (center) letter row).
key chords, F-keys, waiting for windows to pop up, those are all extra things that take time and get in the way. My fingers need to stay near their home on the home row.
