PAWTUCKET - The Pawtucket Red Sox' chances of winning an International League pennant this year could be determined by 4 p.m. today. And it has nothing to do with anything the PawSox do on the field.

Pawtucket's situation will depend on what the parent Boston Red Sox do at today's trade deadline. Unlike in Boston, deadline time is usually not a good time for the PawSox, at least not as a team.

It can be good for individual players, of course. Just last year, the Sox made the ill-fated trade with Texas, bringing in reliever Eric Gagne and dealing away pitcher Kason Gabbard (who was then with Boston) and outfielder David Murphy.

That one was a typical Boston deal. Being a "buyer'' at the major-league level means having the prospects at the minor-league level to send to other teams. Boston's gain often means Pawtucket's loss. PawSox fans know and understand the situation. The members of the team are no different.

"Obviously the guys talk about it,'' said Pawtucket manager Ron Johnson. "They've read the papers like the fans do. They hear all the talk. They see the stuff going on, the (Mark) Teixeira trade and everything that happens.''

The players pay attention because it could affect their career. Pawtucket's roster is loaded with guys who could interest other teams.

This year is different than most others, though, in the respect that it is not just the players who could be traded who are on edge at deadline time. What happens could affect the entire team.

Even with 12 players receiving call-ups already this season, Pawtucket has been at the top of the I.L.-North standings all season. The team has a chance to win a pennant and set a franchise record for victories. Still, what happens in Pawtucket is not the top priority.

"The focus in this organization is and always will be to develop players to help the big club,'' Johnson said. "Of course we want to win. We all want to win. I've been managing for 16 years. I want to win. But the reason we're here is to help Boston win.

"I think the players we have here at this level have to maturity to deal with it in the right way,'' Johnson added.

Charlie Zink is typical. The knuckleballer took over the league lead in victories, with 13, when he beat Rochester on Tuesday night. He is having a superb season (third in the league in earned run average at 2.76) and has every reason to think he could be pitching in the bigs for someone. He speaks candidly about how deadline time brings mixed feelings.

"There's always some interest because everyone wants opportunity,'' Zink said. "This is a tough organization to get that opportunity in. If you can get that opportunity somewhere else, I think everyone's open to it.

"We'd all love to be with Boston. They're the most popular team in the world. They sell out everywhere they go,'' he continued. "It would be fun to be there. But when it comes down to it, everyone wants a shot to play in the big leagues.''

Zink's case is especially interesting because he relies on the knuckler. The style could scare some teams away and attract others.

"This is really good fit for me here. Wakefield has been here for so long,'' he pointed out. "This club has stuck by the knuckleball. They're a little more adept at knowing that there are ups and downs with it. They're more willing to deal with it than maybe if I go somewhere else where they don't know about it and all of a sudden I have a bad game and they go, 'Oh, God, this guy can't pitch.'

"This is a great place for me, but I'd definitely love an opportunity,'' he went on. "By the same token, I'd love a chance to pitch with Wakefield.

Zink acknowledges that he is paying a lot of attention to the news reports this week. But he tries not to get too concerned.

"All through my career I've heard different things,'' he said. "Nothing's ever come of it.''

The manager feels the same way.

"Everyone knows it's there, but it still has to be business as usual,'' Johnson said. "Right now we have guys here like (Jeff) Corsaletti, (Jeff) Natale and (Michael) Bowden who have come here and who we have to develop.''