As I’m writing this Wednesday night, I have no idea where Boston Red Sox ace pitcher Jon Lester will end up.

He could be in Baltimore or Seattle or Miami or St. Louis or even Pittsburgh. Then again, he could stay in Boston or perhaps retire and live in a cabin in Nova Scotia for all we know.

What I do know is speculating on where he will end up is fun.

Countless hours of fun.

The trade deadline in Major League Baseball is always an intriguing time of the year as everyone and anyone is linked to every team in the league, it seems.

I also love the unnamed sources. There are a lot of anonymous people out there, a lot of dudes who “are close to the situation” and who are “familiar with the trade talks.”

It makes me wonder just how many people are in these general manager’s offices when these trades are discussed? GM offices must be huge.

Anyway, since the second wild card came into being, trade talks have been even more interesting.

The Cleveland Indians, who entered Wednesday night a mere five games off the pace for a wild card spot, just sent one of their best pitchers, Justin Masterson, to the Cardinals.

The Tampa Bay (not the Devil) Rays have the best record in baseball since they bottomed out six weeks ago and are also just five games shy of a wild card spot and they are dangling ace lefty David Price to the highest bidder.

Crazy times. Crazy times.

I understand neither team is likely to resign those guys, but still. If you have a chance to make the playoffs, you have to take it, don’t you?

You never know when it is going to come around again.

And that brings us to the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are also in a delicate position come 4 p.m. today.

Some are saying the Buccos need to “go for it” and go all in on a trade for Lester. There were even some rumblings about the Colorado Rockies trading stud shortstop Troy Tulowitzki to the Buccos.

Others say the Pirates should take a more patient approach and not give up the farm (system) for two months of Lester and a lot of medical supplies for Tulowitzki.

The heart says the Buccos should go for it. This is a winnable division and Lester could (and probably would) put them over the top.

Common sense, though, says this team isn’t even as good as the one last season that snuck into the playoffs as a wild card and then moved on to get beat down by the Cardinals in the NLDS.

I’m siding with common sense here.

The Red Sox aren’t just going to give Lester away. They want a top prospect and other solid prospects in any deal. Odds are Lester may play for two months with a contender this fall and then re-sign with the Sox anyway.

The Pirates should stand pat and not give in to the clamor to make a big splash.

Mike Kilroy is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle.