

Keep or Kut
Chad Young, Pete Ball
The best fantasy baseball leagues don't end when the season ends. Join Chad Young and Pete Ball of Pitcher List as they dive into the world of keeper and Ottoneu leagues. Tips and advice, analysis and insights, all tailored to leagues where you're playing for the long haul.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 29, 2021 • 1h 16min
K ꓘ 8: Ottoneu Auction Recap
Pete Ball (@PeteBBaseball) and Chad Young (@ChadYoung) recently participated in their Fangraphs Staff Ottoneu league auction. They go over how they approached the auction, what they planned to do going into it, and how it actually went down.
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Timestamps:
Episode 8 Ottoneu Auction Recap
2:10 - Pitching being pushed up drafts and more expensive in auctions this season
Chad goes the pro-wait-on-pitching path, Pete thinks you should hop on pitching early.
14:28 - Pete's first impressions of Ottoneu, breakdown of the auction begins
Clayton Kershaw went for just $22! Max Scherzer goes for $41! And Pete and Chad think Carlos Carrasco may have been a steal at $11.
23:05 - Is Patrick Corbin washed or is he a steal?
29:28 - Pete's approach to the auction and how it went down for him
34:00 - Josh Lindblom, A.J. Puk, and the benefit of long-relievers in Ottoneu points leagues
41:40 - Chad views Ottoneu auctions similar to MLB free agency and explains why
43:00 - Chad breaks down what his initial plan for the auction was and how he had to adjust and focus on his plan B.
49:50 - If you are the tone-setter who nominates the first player in an auction, what is your approach?
1:00:16 - The guys get deep into breaking down Shohei Ohtani's value
1:06:05 - The Ottoneu Question of the Day - is age overvalued in Ottoneu formats?
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Mar 22, 2021 • 1h 27min
K ꓘ 7: Mocking a Keeper Draft
Ten listeners joined Pete Ball (@PeteBBaseball) and Chad Young (@ChadYoung) for a 23-round, 12-team mock draft built on the assumption that each team would have 10 keepers for 2022. While there are dynasty rankings out there and plenty of redraft ADP data, keeper drafts have their own feel, and in this week's episode, Pete and Chad break down this mock and talk about all the strategies employed, from focusing on 2021 to an almost pure-dynasty style draft by one manager. Get thoughts on when to reach, who to reach for, and how to draft based on what the rest of your league is doing.
In the Ottoneu Question of the Day, Pete pushes Chad on one of the more unique scoring categories in Ottoneu - HR/9 in Ottoneu Classic 4x4 scoring.
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Timestamps:
Episode 7 mock draft
0:29 - Rules of the draft
3:12 - Pete picking from the first spot
Strategizing at the turn, Andrew Vaughn's limited track record, plus thoughts on Trevor Bauer, Salvador Perez and Xander Bogaerts.
11:39 - Dan picking second
Clayton Kershaw over Corbin Burnes, grabbing a late Marcus Semien, and drafting for 2021 while letting the keepers come when they come
16:28 - Chad’s team from the 3 hole
Reaching for your guys, the long-term upside of Devin Williams, betting on the Chris Sale path for Garrett Crochet, wasting a pick on saves that don't help, plus drafting Adalberto Mondesi even if you aren't a believer.
25:18 - Jason picking fourth
Gambling on Marco Luciano in the 23rd, waiting on SS and reaching for C, the importance of where you draft this year and next
33:37 - Astraea with the 5th
Going Christian Yelich over Mike Trout, jumping the queue to take J.T. Realmuto, the limited keeper value offered closers, and solving the stats you struggle with early
41:05 - Michael drafting 6th
Building for 2022, reaching for Wander Franco and Jarred Kelenic, tripling up on TJ aces, and staying strategic through to the end
46:50 - Picking 7th is Chris
Committing to a plan to win now or play for the future, getting the old guy value from stone-cold vets
51:10 - Seth with the 8th
How to draft prospects in a keeper with appearances from Gavin Lux, Jo Adell, and other; plus looking at a draft that appeared to go to plan through 8 rounds
55:41 - Matt picks 9th
Stashing injured pitchers as a strategy in keeper leagues, and our ranking of the TJ pitchers (Mike Clevinger, Justin Verlander, Luis Severino, Chris Sale, Noah Syndergaard) vs. top pitching prospects
1:00:50 - John tries to beat his brother from the 10 spot
Tripling up on elite closers and just how many innings will you be able to get out of Walker Buehler
1:07:40 - Drafting 11th is Geoff
Jesus Luzard and the boring rotation, the value of non-closer Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 15, 2021 • 1h 19min
K ꓘ 6: Keeper Decision Mailbag
Pete Ball (@PeteBBaseball) and Chad Young (@ChadYoung) are joined by Adam Howe (@eightygrade) of the On the Wire Podcast, to answer some listener questions. With Opening Day around the corner, keeper decisions are looming. We answer questions from five listeners - and one from Adam! Along the way, we cover everything from balancing pitching vs. hitting and when it is or isn't okay to punt a category to unique keeper rules and sunk costs. Plus, in the Ottoneu Question of the Day, Chad offers one piece of advice for those prepping for Ottoneu auctions.
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Timestamps:
4:04 - Every keeper league has its own unique rules and structure
7:08 - From DrewSkis86 on the PL+ Discord: $5 Josh Rojas, $5 Nico Hoerner, or $1 Brendan Rodgers? Plus a special appearance from Ty France!
15:20 - From Sean on the Ottoneu Slack: When does it make sense to cut a guy you like, hoping to get him back for a better price?
21:19 - Adam asks us which six guys to cut from his 27-man dynasty roster. We debate Sam Hilliard vs. Daulton Varsho, talk about Robbie Ray and sunk costs, and discuss the strategy involved with keeping April saves vs. long-term upside.
42:45 - From listener Ian: Stephen Strasburg, Giancarlo Stanton, or Jose Altuve? How do league depth and league behavior change your thinking on prioritizing hitting vs. pitching?
49:06 - From Lere on PL+ Discord: Which eight should be kept in a 10-team, 6x6 H2H? Does Max Scherzer's age make him less interesting than younger players with more upside? Starling Marte vs. Austin Meadows? Plus, does 6x6 make it easier to punt a category?
57:55 - From listener Josh: Which four guys he should keep, considering the costs in draft picks and FAAB dollars? Do you give up FAAB for Tyler Glasnow or take the cheaper Nate Pearson or Tarik Skubal? Plus Adam gives us some advice on planning for FAAB.
1:10:34 - The Ottoneu Question of the Day - What is the one piece of advice for someone entering their first Ottoneu auction?Get PL+ and join our community: https://pitcherlist.com/plus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 14, 2021 • 49min
K ꓘ 5: Potential Late Keepers
Pete Ball (@PeteBBaseball) and Chad Young (@ChadYoung) go deep, looking at players outside the top 300 or going for
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Timestamps:
Infield
4:10 - Pete tells you it is time to buy into Brendan Rodgers
10:38 - Rowdy Tellez and his Statcast sliders impress Chad
Outfield
13:03 - Sam Hilliard is the second Rockie Pete thinks you should draft late
19:18 - Austin Hays killed it for most of 2020 and Chad isn't sure if everyone noticed
Starting Pitcher
22:48 - Pete wonders if Luke Weaver can find his slider
28:36 - For about $2, Chad thinks Ryan Yarbrough is well worth the price
Relief Pitcher
31:51 - He may not have the job today, but Pete is buying saves from Yimi Garcia
35:27 - If you thought the Weaver recommendation was tepid, wait til you hear Chad talk about Josh Staumont
39:45 - Ottoneu Question of the Day - What do you do with Framber Valdez?Get PL+ and join our community: https://pitcherlist.com/plus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 8, 2021 • 1h 3min
K ꓘ 4: ADP Tier Jumpers
Pete Ball (@PeteBBaseball) and Chad Young (@ChadYoung) go tier by tier in NFBC ADPs to try and figure out which players are most likely to make a significant jump from 2021 into 2022. Is Kyle Tucker the most likely player with an ADP over 25 to enter next year's Top 10? Or, is it Luis Robert? Listen to find out the answer to those questions, and more!
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Timestamps:
3:02 - Luis Robert - Chad's pick to have the best chance at entering the top 10 in ADP next year
6:50 - Kyle Tucker - Pete's choice! And, his first of three Astros. But, again, not an Astros fan.
9:38 - Austin Meadows - Is Meadows being drafted too late? Chad sees him as a potential top 25 pick next year.
15:33 - Yordan Álvarez - Houston Astro #2... and a future top 25 pick?
20:32 - Pete and Chad rank the DH's: JD Martinez, Giancarlo Stanton, Nelson Cruz, and Álvarez.
26:05 - Victor Robles - Chad makes the case that Robles could go in Starling Marte territory next year as a top 50 pick.
36:38 - Carlos Correa - Pete picks another Astro. Shocker.
42:57 - Chris Sale... or Noah Syndergaard... or Luis Severino - Chad picks Sale while he and Pete go over the clear benefits of stashing one of these guys and enjoying the inevitable boost in ADP that is to come.
51:36 - Nick Senzel - a non-Astro! Pete likes Senzel.
52:35 - Ottoneu Question of the Day - How long should rebuilding take? What are the approaches to a rebuild? Get PL+ and join our community: https://pitcherlist.com/plus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 1, 2021 • 1h 4min
K ꓘ 3: Debating the Top Tens
Pete Ball (@PeteBBaseball) and Chad Young (@ChadYoung) tweeted out their 5x5 keeper league top ten lists for each position and in this episode, they dig into each other's rankings. Why is Chad higher on Nolan Arenado? Why is Pete all in on Christian Yelich? Why did Chad wait until the 42nd round to draft a C in a recent dynasty draft? And, of course, Pete asks the Ottoneu Question of the Day.
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Timestamps:
1:12 - Top Ten Catchers
2:28 - Don't give up on Gary Sanchez
10:28 - Top Ten 1B
11:06 - Cody Bellinger vs Freddie Freeman
14:33 - The possibly elite keeper value of Vlad Guerrero, Jr.
18:29 - Top Ten 2B
19:05 - The Nick Madrigal Debate
24:26 - Top Ten SS
25:12 - One of us is high on Xander Bogaerts, and it isn't the Boston fan
28:09 - Adalberto Mondesi - draft his ceiling or fade his floor?
33:51 - Top Ten 3B
34:33 - Nolan Arenado, now with 100% less Coors
37:47 - Boston fandom strikes back: Rafael Devers
42:41 - The pros and cons of Yoan Moncada
45:52 - Top Ten OF
46:18 - The impossible task of ranking the top three
47:57 - 2020 Never Happened: The Christian Yelich Story
50:31 - Top Ten SP
54:22 - The Top Ten RP
57:26 - The Ottoneu Question of the Day - What is your approach to the auction when you don't have much money to spend?
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Feb 22, 2021 • 1h 2min
K ꓘ 2: Keeper Draft Strategies and Who Would You Rather?
Pete Ball (@PeteBBaseball) and Chad Young (@ChadYoung) examine draft strategies for keeper leagues and all the different components you must keep in mind when preparing for your keeper league’s draft. They then dive into some player comparisons where Chad poses different sets of players, paired by position, and asks Pete which of the two players he prefers in a keeper setting. Players such as Paul Goldschmidt, Patrick Corbin, Gavin Lux, Marcus Semien, and more are all discussed. Finally, it wouldn’t be the Keep or Kut podcast without the Ottoneu Question of the Day!
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Timestamps:
2:41 - Talking draft strategy for different types of keeper leagues. When is it OK to let a stud go back into the draft to keep a lesser player at a cheaper price? Questions like these are all tackled.
18:38 - Player comparisons begin with Gavin Lux vs Marcus Semien
25:45 - Will Smith vs JT Realmuto
32:49 - Paul Goldschmidt vs Ryan Mountcastle
40:53 - Patrick Corbin vs German Marquez
46:57 - The Ottoneu Question of the Day - What should fantasy veterans but Ottoneu noobs know about the Ottoneu scoring systems?
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Feb 15, 2021 • 1h
K ꓘ 1: Keeper and Trade Targets Based on ADP and Ottoneu Values
Pete Ball (@PeteBBaseball) and Chad Young (@ChadYoung) kick off the Keep or Kut podcast by discussing categories of players who have extra value when you can keep them at a low cost. What underhyped breakouts are worth tracking? Whose Ottoneu salaries haven't caught up to their value yet? What players have made changes to stance or approach that suggest their breakouts are real? We talk Anthony Santander, Dominic Smith, Wil Myers, Tanner Houck, and more.
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Timestamps:
4:34 - Finding value in underhyped players, including Lourdes Gurriel, Jr. (9:36), Antony Santander (17:49), and Tanner Houck (23:50)
13:49 - Ottoneu contract values and the importance of cost vs. production in keeper formats
27:18 - Looking for changes underlying breakouts, including Dominic Smith (27:27), Wil Myers (28:42), and Eric Hosmer (33:50)
37:37 - Where to find player values in Ottoneu and players who are currently underpaid, including Juan Soto and Fernando Tatis, Jr.
43:54 - Post-hype values in Ottoneu, including Keston Hiura, Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., Austin Riley, and Josh Naylor.
50:33 - Ottoneu Question of the Day: Is there a point in the offseason where it is better to cut an elite player rather than try to trade him away for a low return?
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Feb 2, 2021 • 1min
Keep or Kut Trailer
The fantasy season doesn't end just because the MLB season is over. Join Chad Young (@chadyoung) and Pete Ball (@PeteBBaseball) for Keep or Kut, a podcast dedicated to keeper leagues, Ottoneu, and all the fantasy players playing for the long-haul.Get PL+ and join our community: https://pitcherlist.com/plus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.