The statblock stands out from the other text pretty good if you use coloured rows in the tables (like in the examples) or instead put the tables in a colourbox. I wouldn't put the whole blocks in boxes though, it can lead to a couple of grey pages if you put a handfull of stats in a row. The stats are a little long for that.
I don't know if people generally prefer the stats in the text or in an appendix. Both can be OK in my opinion. If you use pdfs, putting all the stats at the end has the advantage that they are better accessible after printing them. In Star Wars Saga, they put whole encounters including maps at the end of the scenario (you can download a free campaign at
Star Wars Miniatures and Star Wars Roleplaying Game if you want to take a look). I kind of like it, it's good for reading the actual plot (no long stats and combat relevant descriptions to distract you) and having all the important stuff in one place at the gaming table. Especially with the long stats that are used in saga, brp and runequest.
On the other hand, if you don't have graphics to structure and lighten up your text, the statblocks can "freshen up" the layout a little bit if you put them in the text.