Votto digs into Farmer's closet for Zoom 'fit

CINCINNATI -- When Joey Votto sat in the chair for his media session following a 10-3 Reds win over Cleveland, the Reds' first baseman looked more like he came off the football field.

After all, Votto was wearing a football jersey.

“This is Kyle Farmer’s high school jersey. He was a quarterback in high school. I’m proud to wear it and represent my teammate,” Votto said. “This is his high school jersey, same number, same everything. Shout out to Marist High School for sending me this and Kyle Farmer for letting me represent the glory days.”

Farmer, the Reds’ utility player who started at third base on Friday, was indeed the quarterback at Marist, in Atlanta.

“He was telling me he could throw a football through those mountains over there when we were in Arizona, so shout out to Kyle Farmer and Marist High School,” added Votto, who was 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and a double vs. Cleveland.

What Votto did not know was that Farmer was an extra in the 2009 film, “The Blind Side,” starring Sandra Bullock. In a pivotal scene, Farmer played a quarterback during a practice and needed to be protected by lineman Michael Oher.

“He was a quarterback? In a movie? OK, we’ll have to get another jersey,” Votto said after being told that tidbit.

The Reds might be representing with other jerseys after victories in the future, Votto hinted.

“This is not my idea, but I think it’s more of a team thing,” he said. “We’ll see how things look in the future with other guys wearing jerseys.”