NEW YORK -- Barry Larkin looked forward to playing at Shea Stadium and didn't expect any extra heckling from New York fans for rejecting a trade to the Mets.

	Larkin

"I'm going to get some boos here and there," Larkin said Monday before the Cincinnati Reds opened a three-game series with the Mets. "You're supposed to get booed when you come to New York ... but I don't expect anything different."

Larkin, in fact, was booed when his name was called during pregame introductions. He was also booed when he came to bat in the first inning, and cheered when he struck out looking against Glendon Rusch.

Larkin was 1-for-4 with a walk and an RBI in Cincinnati's 6-0 victory.

The Reds agreed to send Larkin to the Mets for three unidentified players July 21, pending the All-Star shortstop's approval. Unable to work out a contract extension with New York, Larkin rejected the trade two days later.

"They have Rey Ordonez under contract for four years, and their ownership wouldn't allow them to have two shortstops under contract," Larkin said. "So that kind of closed the door."

He said getting an extension was important to him.

"For me to leave Cincinnati after being there so long, it wasn't something I wanted to put my family through. I didn't want to be here for possibly 11 weeks and then go somewhere else."

The Mets wanted Larkin because Ordonez is injured and out for the season. Last Friday, New York filled the hole by getting Mike Bordick from Baltimore.

Larkin said he was intrigued by the possibility of playing in New York. He likes the ballpark -- he named his oldest daughter Brielle D'Shea, after the stadium.

"I've always loved playing here. The first time I came, when they had Doc (Gooden), I played well, I did well. There's also an excitement factor, about being in a race and playing in New York. It was very tempting. "

Hours after rejecting the trade, Larkin signed a three-year, $27 million extension with Cincinnati.

Larkin said he was surprised by the deal, especially since the Reds previously turned down his request for a nearly identical pact.

"They told me they weren't going to sign me," he said. "I thought it was a dead issue. I don't know what changed their minds.

"I think it was the response of the fans in Cincinnati. ... Every time they mentioned my name, they had 30,000 to 40,000 people in the stands give me a standing ovation, showing support for me being there."

Larkin received a 30-second standing ovation at Cinergy Field when his signing was announced during the game July 23.

Larkin admitted he was a little distracted amid all the trade rumors.

"There was one game we played in Houston that (general manager) Jim Bowden flew down and told me about the possible trade with the Mets. It was the first day I went out there thinking about putting on another uniform.

"I stole third base with one out and I didn't slide going into third base. My head was elsewhere," he said. "I went from being disheartened to being excited about leaving to shocked that I'm staying. That whole week was an emotional roller coaster."