The Yankees have signed former Met Victor Zambrano to a minor league deal. He was 0-6 with a 9.45 with the Colorado Rockies affiliate earlier this year.

Ha, enjoy Yanks.

Mark Zuckerman of the Washington Times reports that the Nationals released catchers Paul Lo Duca, Johnny Estrada and infielder Felipe Lopez.

They released $11.15 million worth of players with Lopez was making $4.9 million, Lo Duca at $5 million and Estrada at $1.25.

With the non-waiver trading deadline passing just five hours ago, we will now look ahead to the waiver deadline, which is on August 31st. If you are unaware of what this means, basically, trades can still go down, but players must pass through waivers in order to move teams. Mets general manager Omar Minaya will likely attempt to find a diamond in the rough during the month of August after passing on making any trades before July 31st.

With that said, here is a look at some of the notable trades that have gone down in August the past few years…

2007
Orioles traded SP Steve Trachsel to the Cubs.
Indians traded IF/OF Russell Branyan to the Phillies.
Phillies traded IF/OF Russell Branyan to the Cardinals.
Tigers traded OF Craig Monroe to the Cubs.
Red Sox traded OF Willy Mo Pena to the Nationals.
Twins traded P Ramon Ortiz to the Rockies.
Giants traded IF/OF Mark Sweeney to the Dodgers.

2006
Red Sox traded SP David Wells to the Padres.
Cubs traded 1B Phil Nevin to the Twins.
Orioles traded 1B/OF Jeff Conine to the Phillies.
Diamondbacks traded OF Shawn Green to the Mets.
Indians traded P Guillermo Mota to the Mets.
Mariners traded SP Jamie Moyer to the Phillies.
Blue Jays traded OF Eric Hinske to the Red Sox.
Blue Jays traded P Scott Schoeneweis to the Reds.
Indians traded OF Todd Hollandsworth to the Reds.
Phillies traded P Ryan Franklin to the Reds.
Orioles traded C Javy Lopez to the Red Sox.

2005
Braves acquired OF Todd Hollandsworth from the Cubs.
Cubs traded OF Matt Lawton to the Yankees.
Giants traded OF Michael Tucker to the Phillies.
Red Sox traded OF Jose Cruz Jr. to the Dodgers.

The Atlanta Braves traded Mark Teixeira to the Los Angeles Angels Tuesday for Casey Kotchman and Steven Marek.

As Buster Olney mentioned on ESPN SportsCenter in reaction to the deal, this makes the Teixeira deal of 2007 a bad move. The Braves had to either win a World Series in 2007 or 2008 or lock up Teixeira long-term. The team did not make the playoffs in 2007 and ended up selling off Teixeira for less value a year later. Meanwhile, the four top prospects the Braves gave up a year ago still have their upside.

The Angels are kind of in the same situation, especially considering the division race looks to be locked up before acquiring Teixeira. However, the Angels have less riding on the line because they gave up less value than the Braves did in 2007. Regardless, getting Teixeira makes the Angels the clear favorites to win the World Series. With Teixeira, Vladmir Guerrero, and Torii Hunter, the Angels have a mighty potent lineup.

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On Wednesday, the New York Yankees traded Kyle Farnsworth to the Detroit Tigers for Ivan Rodriguez. Also, the Yankees traded LaTroy Hawkins to the Astros for a prospect.

The Yankees could use an upgrade at catcher in light of Jorge Posada’s injury, and Rodriguez is an upgrade offensively at catcher. However, the Yankees had to part with a serviceable set-up man in Farnsworth to shore up the very bottom of their order. One wonders if Yankees GM Brian Cashman thinks the bullpen is worthless. While Hawkins has been abysmal in 2008, he is more bullpen depth thrown away for nothing. Ultimately, the Farnsworth for Rodriguez deal feels like the Yankees traded from a weakness to add to a strength.

The Tigers needed Farnsworth with the mess their bullpen has been as of late. However, it seems like Rodriguez should have netted at least a prospect in addition to Farnsworth. Maybe, I’m misvaluing Farnsworth’s “worth.” It isn’t a question of contract as both are half-season rentals.

Also, how crazy is Astros GM Ed Wade? Couple this with the acquistion of Randy Wolf, and he might be the most laughably bad general manager in baseball.

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As Andrew Beaton reported Thursday on Hot Foot, the Chicago White Sox acquired Ken Griffey Jr. from the Cincinnati Reds for two prospects.

As Beaton commented, this is a perplexing deal as far as Chicago goes, considering the team doesn’t really have an obvious spot for Griffey. What I’d guess is perhaps Nick Swisher will alternate between playing centerfield and first base. On days that Swisher plays CF, Paul Konerko would play 1B. On days that Swisher plays 1B, Griffey would play CF.

Of course that means Griffey goes from a place where he plays everyday to a place where he doesn’t. In that sense, his move to a contender would be a little bittersweet. Also consider that the White Sox are barely holding onto their AL Central lead and even if they make the playoffs, they will be major underdogs compared to the likes of the Angels, Red Sox, and Rays. It was Griffey’s choice whether to invoke or waive his no-trade deal, and he chose the move. Only time will tell whether it was good or not for Griffey or White Sox GM Kenny Williams.

As Gary Grund previously reported here at Hot Foot, the Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired Manny Ramirez in a three-team deal, which also sent Jason Bay to the Boston Red Sox and four prospects to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

If the Dodgers don’t win the World Series, general manager Ned Colletti lost this trade. As the Boston Herald pointed out:

Ramirez agreed to waive his no-trade rights stemming from the 36-year-old’s 10-5 status (10 years in majors, five with one team) in return for the agreement by the Dodgers to get rid of the two $20 million team options for 2009 and ’10.

Earning $20 million in a year is nothing to sneeze at. Clearly, Ramirez wants to become a free agent in the offseason and get a multi-year deal. So if the Dodgers don’t give Manny said deal, the worth of the trade is all on 2008. To be honest, even with Ramirez, are the Dodgers suddenly the team to beat in the NL? The Dodgers may prove me wrong, but on paper, it doesn’t look like it.

The Dodgers’ outfield was already overcrowded. With Colletti giving foolish deals to Juan Pierre and Andruw Jones, the team’s outfield is very expensive. Funnily enough, with the addition of Ramirez, Pierre and Jones don’t look to play regularly. Both Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp have more at-bats than Pierre and Jones, who have both rode the pine or been injured this season. Having one of Pierre or Jones on the bench doesn’t look great. Having both on the bench looks terrible as far as getting your bang from your buck. At the same time, the Dodgers have to bench both to maximize their chances, considering Ethier and Kemp are better players. Even so, Pierre has been decent and sitting his 36 stolen bases will be tough. In summary, outfield help was hardly a need for the Dodgers.

As for Boston, Bay is only under contract through 2009. The Red Sox have to lock up Bay for this trade to look good. If the team doesn’t, they lost this deal, as well. If Bay only stays a Red Sox through 2009, they gave up too much to get rid of Ramirez.

On this day, Pittsburgh looks to be the big winner. The Buccos didn’t take away a king’s ransom, but they got more than they would have from the rumored Rays deal. All the prospects the Pirates got look to have some upside, with Andy LaRoche probably having the most.

WEEI out of Boston is reporting that the Red Sox have sent Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

NESN is now reporting that the Boston Red Sox have acquired Pirates outfielder Jason Bay.

WFAN says four minor-leaguers will go the Pirates.

The Pirates will receive top prospect third baseman Andy LaRoche and right-hander Bryan Morris from the Dodgers and outfielder Brandon Moss and reliever Craig Hansen from the Red Sox, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com.

Lastly, the Red Sox will pay the $7 million remaining on Manny’s contract.

Thanks to Peter Wade for the link.

Si.com’s Jon Heyman is reporting that the Dodgers are offering OF Andre Ethier in a deal for OF Manny Ramirez. Heyman is reporting that he has approved a trade to any team, showing everyone how badly he wants out of Boston. Heyman doesn’t think a deal will be able to come to fruition if the Dodgers do not offer blue chipper Matt Kemp.

Added by Peter Wade

Update 4:05 p.m. - ESPN and FoxSports.com are reporting that the 3 way deal involving Manny Ramirez might be back on. Rosenthal writes:

The three-way Manny Ramirez blockbuster may be back on…the Ramirez trade was “dead,” according to an executive with one of the three teams involved in the discussions…However, the deal has taken numerous twists and turns over the past 24 hours, and the teams kept trying to piece together the blockbuster.

Update 4:15 p.m. Rosenthal is now reporting the deal is dead again:

The three-way Manny Ramirez blockbuster remains dead, according to two sources with clubs involved in the negotiations.

Anthony DiComo of MLB.com stated that Mets general manager Omar Minaya will address the media soon and that is when you will likely find out if the Mets snuck in any last-minute deals. The only two deals that were even rumored today regarding the Mets are for Pittsburgh Ian Snell and Washington’s Luis Ayala.

Bill Chastain of MLB.com is reporting that the Rays are going to acquire outfielder Jason Bay from the Pirates for minor-leaguers SS Reid Brignac and right-handed pitcher Jeff Niemann.

Update - 3:56 p.m. ET - Marc Lancaster of the Tampa Tribune is reporting that a Rays official has denied that a deal for Jason Bay with the Pirates was done.