Manny Machado, Bryce Harper are staring at same money decision  —  This is the quiet time in baseball.  In a sport that has become a 52-week-a-year endeavor, this is the one time when many offices go dark and executives try to play catchup with rest and family.

Report: Cleveland Indians unlikely to trade Corey Kluber or Trevor Bauer  —  According to Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com, the Cleveland Indians may not be making a big move with their pitching staff this offseason after all.  —  For the better part of the past two months …

The Year That ... : What we'd bet baseball in 2018 will be remembered for forever  —  What you know about 1918: the flu pandemic, the end of World War I, and the Boston Red Sox winning their final World Series of the century.  —  The last one wouldn't have seemed historic to the average human in 1918.

Slugger Nelson Cruz, Twins agree to one-year deal  —  Free-agent slugger Nelson Cruz has agreed to a one-year deal with the Minnesota Twins for $14.3 million, a source confirmed to ESPN on Thursday.  —  The deal also features a $12 million team option for 2020, according to the source.

Rays' Tommy Pham: Tampa Bay has ‘really no fan base at all’  —  Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Tommy Pham issued a stinging assessment Thursday of his team's attendance woes, telling SiriusXM that a new stadium or even relocation might be needed to draw more fans.

How defense helps or hurts players on the Hall of Fame ballot  —  It would be inaccurate to say that a shelf full of Gold Gloves used to be easily converted into a golden ticket to Cooperstown, not when players such as 11-time winner Keith Hernandez, nine-timer Don Mattingly and a handful of eight-timers …

After moving on from Kelly, Cardinals bring back catcher Pena  —  Francisco Pena will again have a chance to secure the role as Cardinals backup catcher.  —  The Cardinals have signed Pena to a minor-league deal for 2019 with an understanding that he will arrive at spring training with a chance …

There's more than one reason why Jurickson Profar's time with the Rangers was a huge disappointment  —  Gerry Fraley, Rangers beat writer for SportsDayDFW.com and The Dallas Morning News, answered your questions about the team during a live chat Thursday.  Below are highlights, edited for clarity.

Cubs lose minor-league field coordinator Tim Cossins to Orioles, promote Chris Valaika to hitting coordinator  —  Chicago Tribune  —  Tim Cossins, the Cubs' minor-league field and catching coordinator since December 2012, left the organization Thursday to join new Orioles manager Brandon Hyde's staff.

Yasiel Puig: ‘Merry Christmas!’ response to Cincinnati Reds fan opening photo as present  —  Cincinnati Reds outfielder Yasiel Puig appreciated a short video posted on Twitter of a Reds fan opening a present with Puig's photo - in which he's wearing a Reds cap - enough to Retweet it along with “Merry Christmas!” wishes.

Before we get to 2019, did Joe Buck ruin the World Series?  Or was it analytics?  —  Fox Sports broadcaster Joe Buck.  —  MICHAEL PEREZ  —  After the 2018 World Series, Fox broadcaster Joe Buck gave a radio interview in which he said TV ratings were down because the games weren't that compelling.