BASEBALL TRADES Reds reliever tickled to escape to Big Apple

The Yankees acquired Aaron Boone and sent Robin Ventura packing.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Gabe White was in the Cincinnati clubhouse when he heard the news. He'd become the latest Reds player to be traded, and he, too, was headed to the New York Yankees.
"This is an opportunity to go to the greatest team ever," the reliever said. "If you ask anybody who they'd like to play for, they'd tell you the Yankees. It's unbelievable."
The Yankees also got All-Star third baseman Aaron Boone from the Reds on Thursday, prompting the AL East leaders to trade third baseman Robin Ventura to Los Angeles.
While the Yankees and Boston Red Sox escalated their arms race with a flurry of trades, the San Francisco Giants made the biggest deal of the day in getting Baltimore ace Sidney Ponson.
"It's one of the tougher ones I've had to do because I like Sidney a lot," said Baltimore manager Mike Hargrove, who told Ponson of the move.
Six deals
There were six trades before the deadline for deals without waivers. From now on, it becomes more tricky to make trades before the Aug. 31 deadline to be eligible for postseason play.
The Red Sox got pitcher Jeff Suppan from Pittsburgh and Kansas City got Tampa Bay reliever Al Levine.
The Giants made a bold move, giving up pitcher Damian Moss, righty prospect Kurt Ainsworth and minor league lefty Ryan Hannaman for Ponson, who was 14-6 with a 3.77 ERA for Baltimore this season. He was one victory behind AL wins leader Roy Halladay of Toronto.
Ponson goes from a team struggling to reach .500 to a club with a 12-game lead in the NL West.
"Hopefully, I'll be in the World Series with them this year," Ponson said.
The Yankees made a pair of trades with the Reds. They got Boone, whose father was fired three days earlier as Cincinnati's manager, for promising left-hander Brandon Claussen and $1 million.
Boone, 30, was hitting .273 with 18 home runs and a team-high 65 RBIs this season. He also led the Reds with 15 stolen bases.
Ramirez, 25, was hitting .280 with 12 homers
After getting Boone, the Yankees sent Ventura to Los Angeles for outfielder Bubba Crosby and right-handed pitcher Scott Proctor.
New York got White for a player to be named. He was 3-0 with 3.93 ERA in 34 relief appearances, and has been on the disabled list since June 25 because of a strained left groin. The Yankees hope to have him back in three weeks.
Money factor
Toronto general manager J.P. Ricciardi said it seemed only teams with money were able to make trades.
"It sounds like it's a repeat of the '50s where the Yankees used to go to the Kansas City A's and take their players and give them money so they could survive," Ricciardi said.
The Dodgers are desperate to score runs and hope Ventura can help. He turned 36 in July and was batting .251 with nine home runs and 42 RBIs.
Dodgers manager Jim Tracy plans to use Ventura more at first base because Fred McGriff is out with a knee injury.
Ventura has not played first base this season, and has not started at the position since Sept. 2, 1996, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Said Ventura: "That's fine, I've played there before. I'll go and do anything they want."
Levine, 35, was 3-5 with a 2.90 ERA in 36 games with the last-place Devil Rays. The Royals got him for cash.