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Cashman Willing to Get Creative to Trade A.J. Burnett

By rabruzzese on | From bronxbaseballdaily.com

When speaking with reporters this afternoon, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said that as with all players that don’t have full no trade clauses that he would be open to listening to creative trade proposals for A.J. Burnett.

“I think it would be hard to replace his innings,” Cashman said to Andrew Marchand of ESPN New York. “I am open-minded if anyone wants to approach me on anyone on this roster that doesn’t have a full no-trade clause. The worst I can tell them is no. I don’t care if it is a position player or a pitcher.

“Unless you are strapped with the full no-trade that precludes me from even listening, I’m open to creativity. I’m open to listening to anything anyone has to offer.”

This clearly isn’t ground breaking news or anything. The only reason I posted it was because it reminded me of the Seinfeld episode where Jerry sold his van and Kramer made him include a line in the ad that said, “interesting trades considered.” Well, this seemed to have been Cashman’s way of saying the same thing to the rest of the league. He is willing to get rid of A.J. and he is willing to get creative to do it.

It still seems doubtful that they will be able to swing a deal. Burnett still has two-years and $33 million coming his way. He also has a limited no-trade clause where he can block deals to up to 10 teams.

If they are willing to get creative enough it is not as impossible as it was a year or two ago. That’s because he has just two years left on his deal. Some of the more popular, crazy trade ideas out there – like swapping him for Carlos Zambrano or Jason Bay – aren’t likely because those players actually have worse contracts at this point (Why the Yankees would want an outfielder as bad as Bay is another conversation all together).

So while an A.J. Burnett trade is still very unlikely, it’s good to know that Cashman is at least willing to get creative to move him.