Open Letter to Brian Cashman: Don't even pick up the phone

Dear Madam or Sir,

Once again, the Yankiverse is buzzing over potential trades. Because it's July, we always go through this pointless charade, like the 12 days of Christmas, wondering who we can get. And if we do cut a deal, it's immediately cheered and a year later, lambasted.

This year, let's do nothing.

That was the policy of perhaps the greatest GM in modern history, Pat Gillick. They used to call him "Stand Pat," because he recognized that you're better off developing your own players than trading for other teams' mistakes. Gillick built into powerhouses the Blue Jays, the Mariners and the Phillies. He's in the Hall of Fame because he didn't answer the phone in July.

Right now, we have little in the high farm system that other teams covet. The few prospects we have are injured or in slumps. To chase a stud pitcher - a Dempster or a Garza - we would have to drain our lower system in ways that we would likely regret for years.

Say no. Don't do it.

Lately, that horrible winter deal with the Mariners - the Pineda deal - doesn't look so bad. Jesus Montero is not hitting, and Hector Noesi is a disaster. It's hard to imagine a team getting less than we did, but at least we didn't have to see Montero in the all-star game. Thus, you do not have to restore yourself via a trade. You can sit this one out.

Let's not make a deal. Stand pat. Let the Cubs trade whomever they want to whomever they want. We have Andy Pettitte coming back. We have Brett Gardner coming back. We have Joba Chamberlain coming back. We have the utility wire for everything else. We don't need anybody.

Take a cruise. Tour Europe. See Alaska. Or go to Chico, California. That's the birthplace of Pat Gillick.