The Bronx is covered in snow this morning. As I trooped my way to the subway, a heavy snow was falling and everything was white. But the subways were still running on time (word to the MTA). When I arrived at 50th street and Broadway, things had gotten wetter. Maybe the streets are just hotter in midtown. Regardless, the slush-a-thon was in full-effect. But the snow was still falling–big, fat, raggeded flakes, as if someone up there tore open a pillow and all the feathers were falling out on our heads. Traffic is moving slightly more cautiously than usual, but only slightly. The snow is lining the trees and it all looks lovely.

The winter meetings came to a conlusion in Dallas yesterday. After trading Tony Womack (and $900,000) to the Reds yesterday, the Yankees signed southpaw reliever Mike Myers to a two-year deal believed to be worth $2.4 million (SG, over at the Replacement Level Yankees Blog considers how effective Myers will be). Tyler Kepner suggests the Womack trade demonstrates Brain Cashman’s newfound control over things:

The deal symbolized the changes in the Yankees’ front-office hierarchy.

Discuss the Postseason General Manager Brian Cashman did not want to sign Womack last December, but the move was forced on him by the Tampa, Fla., headquarters of George Steinbrenner, the principal owner. This December, Cashman, asserting himself in the first winter of his new three-year contract, essentially dispatched with a spare part to add a veteran left-handed reliever.

…”Talking to Brian, it’s noticeable that when you ask him, ‘What about this, what about that?’ you get a much quicker response,” said Kevin Towers, the San Diego Padres’ general manager. “It doesn’t seem like you have to run it up two or three different flagpoles.”

Robinson Cano, who visited with cancer patients yesterday at Sloane-Kettering, said he’s happy that he’s still a Yankee:

“I don’t care, I just want to play every day…If it has to be center field, that’s OK,” Cano said with a smile at a midtown press conference to announce his endorsement deal [with Spalding]. “If they ask me, I’ll do it.”

Brain MacMillian links to a rumor that would send Sean Henn and Taynon Sturtze to the Phillies for center fielder Jason Michaels, while Steve Lombardi looks at what Bernie Williams’ 2006 could be like.

As expected, the Rocket rumors are keeping writers warm as they return east. In his latest column, Bob Klapisch writes:

A.J. Burnett said this week that Pavano is “miserable” pitching in New York, and has told a number of friends – including Burnett, his former teammate in Florida – he wants to be traded. Clemens’ presence would make Pavano expendable, assuming someone would actually pay $10 million for an injured sinkerballer with diminished velocity.

If Cashman can pull off a deal for Pavano, he deserves early consideration for Executive of the Year. But the Yankees clearly need a pitching response to the Red Sox and Blue Jays, both of whom are now stronger at the front of the rotation.

Clemens and Randy Johnson are obviously fragile fortysomethings, but The Rocket was arguably the National League’s best pitcher in 2005. If healthy, he would create a match for Curt Schilling and Josh Beckett, as well as Roy Halladay and Burnett.

Clemens would give the Yankees a boost in the clubhouse, where he’s still popular two years since his departure. The Rocket stays in touch with Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada, who e-mailed him advice about pitching to the White Sox during the World Series.

My hunch is that Clemens is done, and even if he isn’t, he won’t return to New York. But what do I know? Hope everyone in the tri-state area stays safe and enjoys the snow today.