Derrek Lee's earning $7.25 million this season.

The Baltimore Orioles are buried deeply within the American League East.

Derrek Lee has not hit much this season.

It's not surprising that the Orioles are looking to trade Lee. What's surprising is that there's some real interest.

But apparently there is. The Baltimore Sun's Dan Connolly is reporting that Lee will probably be traded to Pirates, who will send the Orioles a low-level prospect and get some help paying Lee's salary.

There is some reason for optimism about Lee. Just a year ago, he was struggling with the Cubs but turned his season around after being traded to the contending Braves. Maybe Lee just needs the little jolt of adrenaline that comes with playing for a team that's playing for something.

And as mediocre as Lee's been this season, he's been significantly better than Lyle Overbay, the Pirates' every-day first baseman this season.

To this point the Pirates have been completely inactive on the trade market. While their chances of winning a division title aren't good, they've got a decent shot at a winning season, their first in nearly 20 years. If that means trading a kid in the Florida State League who might help them in 2014, it's probably worth doing.