While it's ideal to let every pitcher's pitch go by and not be afraid to choke up and inside out the ball with two strikes, every situation dictates different responses. If I'm facing Marquis and he can't get his breaking pitch over, I would gear up dead red and look to nail him early in the count. There's no reason to allow him to get ahead in the count and give him two pitches per AB to find to breaking pitch. Same thing with pitchers that tip, you find that weakness and you exploit it. Going up against Maddux is different than Zambrano as far as approach. For me, the point of working the count does many things (most of them are obvious) 1)Most pitchers in a 5+ pitch AB will make 2 mistakes. 2)Hitters get better pitches to hit when they are ahead in the count. 3)Increase the chances of baserunners via BB. 4)Wear the pitcher down. There is also a difference between patient and passive, some hitters will let FBs go right down the middle either early in the count or when they're ahead in the count and it costs them. Bonds is probably the most aggressive hitter I've seen while being the most patient, when the pitch is in his zone, he'll try and just make contact, he swings hard on every swing.