Yankees GM Brian Cashman on potential trade talks: 'I'm open to anything'

Brian Cashman drove through the rain and into a garage near Covenant House in Manhattan early Thursday night, still on a call talking trade with another general manager. The Yankees GM went to the shelter to sleep outside of it with about 200 other executives, raising awareness and funds for homeless kids.

"I'm open for business," Cashman said, armed with his cell and a sleeping bag at this "Sleep Out" event. "I think any general manager is open 24/7 if a good idea comes their way."

The Yankees names spinning in the rumor mill belong to Brett Gardner and Andrew Miller. Asked specifically if he is open to moving either of them to improve the roster, Cashman didn't flinch.

"I'm open to anything," he said. "I'm honestly open to any idea."

Two ideas came to fruition for him earlier this month at the GM meetings, including the one that brought outfielder Aaron Hicks, and Cashman said he could be close to another deal.

"I think there are some things in play that if teams say 'yea' to the positions I've taken, then yeah," Cashman said.

Hal Steinbrenner said Wednesday that the Yankees will look into acquiring another starting pitcher.

"They're like racehorses; they can go down at any time, and normally they do," Cashman said. " . . . Any chance you have a way to improve upon that, you have to focus on it if you can."

Cashman said that with limited money coming off the payroll, the Yankees are less likely to sign a big-ticket free agent, although he wouldn't rule out parting with the 22nd overall pick as compensation for a player who turned down a qualifying offer. But the trade market is on the front burner for the Yankees.

"I've got my ears open on big names, small names," Cashman said. "I think the trade activity has been very aggressive, more so than any winter that I recall."

This marked Cashman's fifth year participating in Covenant's Sleep Out, and he was just hoping the rain would subside. He has a sponsorship page and the Yankees Foundation donated $25,000 in his honor.

"This organization supports kids who are either runaways or came out of a horrific family dynamic," Cashman said. "I can just tell you that I cannot even fathom the world that they have to try to work through to get an even playing field, let alone building a tremendous life."