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OAKLAND, Calif. - Aaron Boone now says he did ask the Reds to trade him after the team fired his father as manager Monday. The All-Star third baseman had denied that in his farewell news conference in Cincinnati Thursday after he was traded to the Yankees.

Aaron Boone strikes out in his first at-bat as a Yankee. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

"It wasn't a good situation in Cincinnati," Boone was quoted Friday by the Associated Press. "Everything suddenly changed. I kind of grew up in Cincinnati ... and one of the reasons I asked for the trade was I didn't want to be a distraction. I didn't want to be the story line every day."

Yankees manager Joe Torre threw Boone right into the action, batting him in the sixth spot against Tim Hudson and the Athletics on Friday night.

"It was almost like it was my first game in the bigs," Boone said afterward. "Pretty exhilarating."

Boone went 1-for-4 in the Yankees' 3-2 loss while another former Red traded in the fire sale this week, Jose Guillen, was 0-for-4 in his first game in right field for the Athletics.

Boone chatted briefly with Guillen before batting practice.

Two days ago, they were teammates in Cincinnati - but both were shipped away in the Reds' fire sale of talent shortly after firing general manager Jim Bowden and Boone's father.

Reliever Gabe White, also acquired from Cincinnati in a separate deal Thursday, reported to the Yankees' camp in Tampa, Fla., for rehabilitation work.

"It certainly makes managing more fun when your team can get anyone they want," Torre said. "It's great to get a regular player on the team. You get excited as a manager."