Reds wear All-Star support for Votto on sleeves, and chests

Joey Votto might just well have been the least likely major leaguer to launch a T-shirt campaign boosting his own candidacy for the All-Star Game.

"It wasn't his idea," said his manager, Dusty Baker, who was wearing a bright red "Vote for Votto" shirt, as did all of Votto's Reds teammates before their game at Citi Field. "He's not a self-promoting type guy."

In fact, referring to the push to get him elected to the final spot on the National League squad in online voting that ends Thursday, the first baseman said, "This type of stuff is kind of embarrassing, but in a good way, if that makes sense. I think I'm just too shy to really get into this type of stuff. I just enjoy doing my job. But I know that sometimes there's a little more to my job - our job - than just going out there and playing ball. I understand this is one of those situations.

"I like that it's something positive and I'm glad that it's a byproduct both of us winning and me playing well. That's a good thing," he said, "but it can be a little much."

The player who grew up in suburban Toronto is intense and sensitive, having acknowledged last year that he was put on the disabled list last year for stress related issues following the death of his father. He was surprised and pleased to hear that the Blue Jays promoted Votto on their message board at a game this week.

Votto's statistics are hard to overlook, although league personnel did overlook him when the reserves were named. Baker sees him as the "big guy" on the surprisingly strong Reds with Most Valuable Player-caliber numbers: .316, 21 home runs, 59 runs batted in, entering Wednesday night.

His team has taken the unusual step of teaming with the Red Sox to co-promote first basemen, Votto and Kevin Youkilis, a Cincinnati-area native. "Well, Kevin is having a really good year himself, so to be paired up with a guy like that, I think it's really cool," Votto said. "That's one of the biggest markets in the country, so I think we picked the right group."

The chances of Votto getting elected Thursday were strengthened Wednesday when Padres closer Heath Bell was named as an injury replacement. "You know, he was actually the guy I was concerned about. I thought he had a really good chance. He has put together a heck of a year for a first-place team," said Votto, who also fits that description.