Tigerboy,
I want my hitters ready to hit. I like and employ the method that pinetar described because I used it in college and we were very strong when we were behind by less than 3 in the last inning. In that method, the first pitch is yours to hit. If its a ball, you take until you get a strike (and keep an advantage count). Otherwise, you are hacking at FBs you can hammer.
FWIW, if my leadoff hitter hit a rope at the CF (provided he made a good decision), I'd pat him on the butt and say good job. Now...if you gave him the take sign and he swung away, he would walk away from the game with less butt than he had at the start.
Your answer depends on your belief system and also depends on the pitcher. I have just seen the ol' "take until you get a strike" method go like this too many times:
FB belt high...take...0-1
CB in dirt...swing...0-2
FB up and in...take...1-2
CB low / away...K
I'd rather see a line drive from my 1st hitter that inning and watch the P squeeze the ball a little tighter.