Rotation

Dan Duquette met with the Baltimore media about the deal today that sent reliever Matt Lindstrom and a player to be named to the Arizona Diamondbacks for lefty starter Joe Saunders and cash. Here's Duquette: On the trade: “We've liked Joe Saunders for quite a while, we've had some discussions (with him as a free agent in the winter). He's a local kid (Springfield, Va.). He's pitched in the American League. He's pitched in the playoffs. He's pitched in a tough ballpark in Arizona.

The Orioles had their focus on Joe Saunders since he was on the free-agent market this offseason, and the club had been discussing the possibility of acquiring the left-hander in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the past few weeks. Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette - always eager to add pitching depth - coveted Saunders' experience and the prospect of him helping the Orioles against some of the American League's lefty-laden lineups. On Sunday, the Orioles acquired the 31-year-old Saunders, along with cash considerations, for right-handed reliever Matt Lindstrom and a player to be named after the season.

In an attempt to keep their most consistent pitcher fresh for the stretch run, the Orioles have pushed back rookie lefty  Wei-Yin Chen's next start. With Thursday's day off, Chen, who beat the Tigers in Detroit on Sunday, could have pitched with an extra day's rest this Saturday. Instead, he'll pitch Monday at home against the Chicago White Sox. Rookie right-hander Miguel Gonzalez will be also pushed back and pitch Tuesday, as a way to limit his innings. Lefty Zach Britton will start Friday's series opener against the Toronto Blue Jays and right-hander Chris Tillman will pitch Sunday.

Here's roundup of what national media are saying about the Orioles: ** ESPN.com weighs in on the Orioles' 3-2 win over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday, and a rotation that is plugging holes left and right. The latest rotation surprise was Zach Britton, who pitched seven shutout innings Saturday after being promoted from Triple-A Norfolk earlier in the day. The Orioles are the team that won't go away. For months now, they've been predicted to, expected to, and they have no end of excuses for why they're  supposed   to be long since out of the expanded wild-card picture already.

Jack Cornell has gone from being undrafted to manning the right tackle position on the Ravens' first offense. The rookie has been rotating with second-round pick Kelechi Osemele at that spot. Those days may be numbered if Bryant McKinnie passes the conditioning test and returns to left tackle, which would shift Michael Oher back to right tackle. But for now, Cornell is living a dream. “It's definitely pretty awesome,” he said of lining up with Oher, center Matt Birk and guards Marshal Yanda and Bobbie Williams.

Jason Hammel has made the decision to have surgery on his right knee and likely will be out at least a month. Hammel, the Orioles top starter who is 8-6 with a 3.54 ERA in 18 starts, is expected to have the surgery Monday morning. Orioles orthopedist John Wilckens will do the arthroscopic surgery, which will remove cartilage that has been embedded in a knee joint. “We're going to go the surgery route,” said Hammel, who has dealt with knee discomfort for two months, but was forced out of Friday's start in the fourth inning due to significant knee pain.

Right-hander Chris Tillman has been scratched from tonight's schedules start for Triple-A Norfolk against Syracuse. The Orioles have starting rotation spots open for Thursday and Friday's games in Anaheim, so it could be an indication that Tillman is heading west to join the club. As of late Monday afternoon, Tillman was still with the Tides. Right-hander Tim Bascom has been promoted from Double-A Bowie to make tonight's start for the Tides. Tillman is 8-8 with a 3.63 ERA in 16 appearances (15 starts)

As the Orioles packed up for their final road trip of a surprising first half Sunday evening, left-hander Brian Matusz was left behind, the obvious casualty of a club - and a starting rotation - that is seemingly wilting as the summer progresses. Matusz, in a funk for his past five starts, secured a trip to Triple-A Norfolk by failing to get through the fifth in a 6-2 loss to the Cleveland Indians - the Orioles' ninth defeat in their past 12 games. “In my last five, six outings [I]

The Orioles have had two consistent starters this season: Jason HammelandWei-Yin Chen. The other three spots have been anything but reliable. At times, Brian Matusz, Jake Arrieta and Tommy Hunter have been good. Other times, they've been way south of good. The positive news is that injuries have not hit the Orioles' rotation. The above-mentioned five have made 72 of the club's 73 starts. The other one was started by long reliever Dana Eveland. The bad news is that Jake Arrieta (3-9, 5.55 ERA in 16 starts)