If this move surprises you, well, you really haven't been paying attention to me or anyone else who covers the team lately.
The Orioles made the obvious official this afternoon, sending third baseman Josh Bell to Triple-A Norfolk and recalling Chris Tillman from the Tides.
Tillman will pitch tonight and has a pretty easy assignment. He just has to face the angry bats of the Texas Rangers while his counterpart on the mound is world-beater Cliff Lee, making his first start with Texas after Friday's blockbuster trade with Seattle.
No pressure on the kid. The good news is that Tillman was splendid after being optioned to Norfolk on June 22, going 3-0 with a 1.66 ERA in three starts. He had been 0-3 with an 8.40 ERA in four starts with the Orioles previously this season.
It's basically a promising prospect for promising prospect swap.
Bell got the surprise call-up on July 1, but played sparingly. He went 3-for-15 in five games, including striking out as a pinch-hitter on Friday right before Corey Patterson's dramatic grand slam.
Some may think that the Orioles shouldn't have promoted Bell if he weren't going to play every day. But I talked to him yesterday and he said just being in the clubhouse, talking and watching the major leaguers, was invaluable.
"It is a good situation for me, regardless," Bell said. "Because if I am not playing, then I am watching and learning. And if I am playing, well, that's a great experience."