NEW YORK -- In 2001, the Yankees and Mets made a blockbuster trade, sending slugger David Justice to the Bronx with third baseman Robin Ventura heading to Queens. Two years later, the Yankees sent prospects to the Mets for closer Armando Benitez. In 2004, the Yankees nabbed reliever Mike Stanton from the Mets in exchange for reliever Felix Heredia.
Brian Cashman was the Yankees' general manager for all those trades.
He remembers them well and uses them as an example as to why he'd be open to making a blockbuster trade with the Mets, who has something he wants: top-rate starting pitching.