[RC-Monster Mike]

The first picture gets my vote. A single battery on one side and everything else on the other is ideal for weight balance most times(depends on the battery - sometime the esc can live with the battery). A single battery will always get my vote - half the charge time to worry about, and usually easier to balance and install. You can also adjust front/rear balance very easily by simply moving the battery foreward or rearward as needed. :)