MLB

JOBA NOT A LOCK TO START NEXT SEASON

Those who have seen him start strongly believe Joba Chamberlain can evolve into Josh Beckett and insist his greatest value to the Yankees is working every fifth day as a No. 1 stud. Others, who only witnessed Chamberlain bounce out of the bullpen and finally build a sturdy bridge to Mariano Rivera last season, believe the Yankees are nuts to delete Chamberlain from the bullpen.

And the Yankees? A month ago, before Joe Girardi replaced Joe Torre and Dave Eiland took over for Ron Guidry, Hank Steinbrenner said Chamberlain would be in the rotation and that’s the way the organization is tilting, but . . .

“It’s not 100 percent but I think we are leaning that way,” Eiland said yesterday about using Chamberlain as a starter. “We haven’t had long discussions on that part of it yet. I am sure we will in the near future. We are leaning that way and that’s where we would like to see him.”

With a little under three months until pitchers and catchers report to Tampa, the Yankees have time to alter a staff that needs a bona fide No. 1 starter. If Andy Pettitte comes back or Johan Santana or Erik Bedard is acquired, somebody from the group of Chien-Ming Wang, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, Mike Mussina and Chamberlain is going to get bumped. Kennedy, with three major league starts, could be sent to the minors, but what would be so terrible about using Chamberlain to set up Rivera? After going 2-0 with a 0.38 ERA in 19 big league relief appearances in which he fanned 34 and gave up 12 hits in 24 innings, the Yankees know his high-octane fastball and filthy slider can handle the late-inning role.

But if he is Beckett? That means he is a starter. According to agent Randy Hendricks, Pettitte isn’t going to decide if he wants to retire or pitch for the Yankees until next month. The price for Santana, if the Twins decide to move him, will be rich. From the Yankees they will likely want Hughes and Kennedy in addition to Melky Cabrera or Robinson Cano. If the Orioles move Bedard, it’s not likely they will trade him within the AL East.

As for the bullpen, Kyle “The Mop” Farnsworth is the only experienced late-inning reliever and he has failed in two years. The Yankees had an interest in free agent Francisco Cordero to set up Rivera, but he wants to close. They are interested in lefty free agents Jeremy Affeldt and Trever Miller. Luis Vizcaino remains an option to return but he is also a free agent.

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Progress is being made between the Yankees, agent Scott Boras and MLB toward getting Alex Rodriguez‘ 10-year, $275 million contract finalized but no deal is expected to be completed until after Thanksgiving. Sides are moving closer to finding a way for Rodriguez to participate in a revenue sharing deal as he approaches Barry Bonds’ all-time home run record.

While Girardi certainly doesn’t have to sell Pettitte, 35, on the Yankees, he plans on calling the veteran lefty.

“I talked to Andy once and I will talk to him after Thanksgiving,” Girardi said of Pettitte, who went 15-9 with a 4.05 ERA in 36 games (34 starts) and pitched brilliantly in Game 2 of the ALDS against the Indians. “I think it’s very important that he comes back. He knows the Yankee way and he is a big plus in the clubhouse as well as on the field.”

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The Yankees signed RHP Jeff Patterson to a major league contract. Patterson split last year with Trenton (Double-A) and SWB (Triple-A). They also added catcher Franciso Cervelli and right-handers Jeffrey Marquez and Steven White.

The Yankees officially announced Joe Girardi’s coaching staff. Dave Eiland is the pitching coach, Bobby Meachem is the third base coach and Mike Harkey is the bullpen coach. Rob Thomson moves from field coordinator to bench coach, Kevin Long remains as the hitting coach and Tony Pena returns to first base.

george.king@nypost.com