By Roch Kubatko
Baseball America
September 7 - 20, 2009; p. 22

[Editor's note: Steven Johnson played for Youse's Orioles 2005. His father, Dave Johnson pitched for the Baltimore Orioles and also called the action for MASN's coverage of the Ripken League All-Star Games in 2007 and 2009.]

BALTIMORE, Md. --- If the Orioles were going to trade closer George Sherrill at the trade deadline, they wanted a third baseman and another young pitcher in return. Those were the demands.

The Dodgers obliged, giving up Double-A third baseman Josh Bell and righthander Steve Johnson. Bell and Johnson were assigned to Double-A Bowie.

''There comes a time when you have to try to address some needs going down the road and try to get that group of talent together for a long time, and we think that's what this trade represents,'' Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail said.

Bell, 22, was batting .296/.386/.497 with 30 doubles, 11 home runs and 52 RBIs in 334 at-bats with Double-A Chattanooga. He eventually could replace Melvin Mora at third base.

''There are mixed emotions,'' said Bell, a fourth-round pick in 2005. ''I've grown up with the Dodgers after getting drafted out of high school. But business is business.''

Johnson was a combined 9-6, 3.64 with 125 strikeouts in 116 innings, including his first two starts with Bowie. He pitched for high Class A Inland Empire and Chattanooga in the Dodgers system.

MacPhail referred to the 22-year-old Johnson, a Maryland native and son of former Orioles pitcher Dave Johnson, as a ''somewhat of an under-the-radar starter for the Dodgers who continues to get better.''

''I wanted to come pitch for the Orioles, but I thank the Dodgers for even giving me a chance four years ago,'' said Johnson, a 13th-round pick in 2005. ''I had fun here, but it's going to be great to go home and pitch for the Orioles.''

Copyright 2009. Baseball America.