What is a great hitter?

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"Just a bit outside.  The first pitch sails just wide of the strike zone.  And I mean just wide, may even be a generous call by the ump.

And the windup...a tad inside with the breaking ball.  Ausmus was set up away, chose to go with the breaking ball in the 1-0 count.  But the ball chose a different direction out of the pitchers hand.

...A fastball clocked at 91, on the outer half of the plate.  3-1.  Great pitch in a hitters count.  Location, Location, Location.  If he misses on the inner half there, that ball is probably rocketed.  If not rocketed, then the pitcher would have been extremely lucky.

The pitcher comes to the plate, and that ball is scorched into the left-center field gap!  The center fielder was playing for the lefty to pull the ball.  But the pitch, which was middle-middle, was lined into the gap for a double.  A great piece of hitting.  Worked the count into his favor, got his pitch, and didnt' miss..."

What is a great hitter?  Is it a Victor Martinez?  Someone that posts a high batting average, can hit to all fields, and can hit both lefties and righties (switch hitter).  Or is a great hitter, one that is considered great, more just a great "offensive player."

Tony Gwynn was a great hitter.  He batted .338.  And because of that, he was also a great offensive player.

Placido Polanco has a career .304 batting average.  One could say he is a great "hitter" if that is their definition of what it entails to be a great hitter.  But many will say he isn't, as well.  He doesn't draw many walks, and his power is far from spectacular.  Actually, his career Slugging percentage is sub-par when compared to a league-average bat.

So does "great hitter" and "great offensive player" mean the same thing?  I mean, Adam Dunn is a great offensive player, but is he a great hitter?  His defense, and positional adjustment make him less than great, but his bat is very, very good.  I take that bat over Polanco any day of the week.  (Polanco does possess skills that Dunn doesn't have in other facets of the game though).  But do I want a lineup of nine Adam Dunn's?  Or nine Placido Polanco's?  Take defense out of that equation for a second, simply concentrate on offense.

I watch a player like JD Drew, or Adam Dunn work their walks.  They hit for some power.  They do what they do, and reach base often.  But they aren't Tony Gwynn, they aren't Victor Martinez.  They can't cover the plate like those two.  They cannot hit the ball to all fields as well.  They both, Dunn and Drew, have more weaknesses.  But all are considered pretty good.  They just do different things.

A great hitter is definitely more intriguing, more entertaining.  I love watching a hitter that can take pitches just out of the strike zone, and recognize they are balls.  But watching a ball hit on a line into a space where the outfielder is not, is more fun to watch.

I guess the simple answer is that a hitter that can take pitches, work walks AND hit over .300 is where it's at.

But that would be too obvious I guess.