It's all systems go for Joba Chamberlain's transformation from bullpen maestro to hopeful rotation ace.

Just a day after Yankees GM Brian Cashman looked the 22-year-old phenom in the eye and asked him if his heart was into starting or remaining in the bullpen, there was Chamberlain pitching the final two innings of a Yanks' blowout last night, his first step in gaining the stamina to joining the starting rotation.

"[Chamberlain] looked me right in the eye and said, 'I want the opportunity to start,' Cashman said after the Yankees hammered Baltimore 8-0 to snap a four-game losing streak.

Cashman and manager Joe Girardi declined to give a timetable for Chamberlain making his first start with the Yankees, and Hank Steinbrenner would only say he's happy the process has begun. It is Steinbrenner - more than any other voice in the organization - who has pushed for Chamberlain to leave his setup role, with the hope of becoming the ace of the Yankees' rotation.

Steinbrenner told The Post late last night that he received a phone call from team president Randy Levine earlier in the day outlining the plan to begin using Chamberlain for extended duty. Girardi summoned the right-hander after Darrell Rasner (3-0) fired seven shutout innings, his third straight impressive start since joining the team earlier this month.

"This was always going to happen, it was the plan from the beginning," Steinbrenner said.

Told that Cashman had a chat with Chamberlain just to ensure his heart was into starting, Steinbrenner seemed surprised it was even an issue.

"Joba has made it clear for the last four months that he wants to be a starter," Steinbrenner said. "I said it four months ago: I know he wants to start."

Chamberlain, who threw 35 pitches over the two scoreless innings, said he is "excited" the process has begun. The plan does not call for Chamberlain returning to the minor leagues to hone his skills as a starter.

"We're going to be patient and make sure everything is taken care of and done the right way," Chamberlain said. "It's going to be a process, and we have that plan just to make sure my legs and my arm is going to be OK."

Eyebrows were raised when Chamberlain remained in the game to pitch the ninth inning, but that was before Girardi revealed that Chamberlain's transformation into starter had begun.

"This has been the plan for months, so we'll continue to stretch him out," Girardi said.

Some things never change. Kei Igawa was as bad as ever in his first MLB start of the 2008 season. Somehow he and Joe Girardi thought he pitched ok(???). Fortunately the rain out versus the Tigers on Sunday should allow the Yankees to skip Kei for his next start. Wow! How much did the Yankees pay for this stiff? Think of the payroll spent on Kevin Brown, Carl Pavano, and Kei Igawa.

The injuries keep mounting for the Yankees. Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon have missed time. Andy Pettitte, Alex Rodriguez, and Jorge Posada have all spent time on the DL. Did Camp Girardi overdo the Army attitude. Maybe Joe Torre knew more than what some originally though. He now has a young, talented team on the rise. The Yankees look like a very old team going nowhere.

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Darrell Rasner is making the start today versus Seattle. Recall that Rasner had his season cut short last year for the Yankees in a start against the New York Mets. A broken index finger ended Rasners's year. To make room for Rasner, Ian Kennedy has been sent to AAA to regain his confidence and delivery. Also, look for Kei Igawa to make a start for the Yankees later this week. Igawa was been pitching well at AAA SWB.

Here is the story on Rasner and Kennedy:

The New York Yankees optioned struggling pitcher Ian Kennedy to Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre prior to Sunday’s game against the Seattle Mariners.

One of New York’s top pitching prospects, Kennedy has been a major disappointment over the first month of the season, going 0-2 with an 8.37 ERA over six appearances - five starts.

Kennedy lasted just 4 2/3 innings in Thursday’s 8-4 loss to Detroit, allowing four runs and five hits with three walks. Although he was staked to an early 3-0 lead, Kennedy failed to work beyond the fifth inning for the fourth time in five starts this season.

The 23-year-old Kennedy also was sent to the minors to make room for Darrell Rasner, who was recalled from Scranton to start Sunday’s matinee contest against the Mariners.

Rasner, 27, went 4-0 with a 0.87 ERA in five starts for Scranton. The righthander posted a 1-3 record with a 4.01 ERA in six starts with New York last season.

The Yankees made another roster move Sunday, transferring injured reliever Brian Bruney to the 60-day disabled list.

Phil Hughes is out for at least two months... The Yankee season becomes even more critical now with Posada and Rodriguez out as well.....

Phil Hughes has a stress fracture in one of his ribs, and the New York Yankees’ pitcher is expected to be sidelined for at least two months.

The news comes at an inopportune time for the injury-depleted Yankees, also missing three-time MVP Alex Rodriguez, All-Star catcher Jorge Posada and reliever Brian Bruney.

“I say no on crisis mode,” general manager Brian Cashman said. “I say this is what every team that wants to get to the promised land has to deal with at one point or another, and deal with it. And if you can’t, you’re not championship-worthy.”

Hughes, placed on the 15-day disabled list Thursday, had tests that revealed a stress fracture in the ninth rib on his right side. He will be shut down for four weeks and then re-evaluated. Cashman said the team probably can’t expect the 21-year-old right-hander back before July.

Hughes is 0-4 with a 9.00 ERA in six outings this year, an alarming start for a touted youngster who was expected to be a key member of New York’s rotation.

“His fastball command has been uncommonly off. Now we get an idea why,” Cashman said.

Still, Hughes refused to offer the injury as an explanation or excuse for his struggles.

“I really don’t think it was an issue in my performance,” he said. “Subconsciously, I may have been doing something different or whatever. But it’s still something that I want to work out as far as performing well when I get back.”

When the Yankees put Hughes on the DL, they initially said he had a strained right oblique muscle. Both he and the team were surprised to receive a more serious prognosis.

“At least for me, I was in disbelief,” Hughes said. “I was expecting to get the results of the MRI and have some small muscle strain or something like that. For it to be this, especially with the way things are going pitching-wise and everything else, it’s just not a fun time right now.”

Read the full story here.

Alex Rodriguez is going on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right quadriceps, leaving the New York Yankees without two of their most important players.

Rodriguez joins injured catcher Jorge Posada on the DL. The Yankees are waiting for additional opinions on Posada’s ailing throwing shoulder before determining whether he needs surgery.

A three-time AL MVP, Rodriguez was sent for an MRI exam Tuesday that revealed a Grade 2 strain. He was put on the DL for the first time since July 2000 with Seattle, when he had a strained right knee.

This is Rodriguez’s fifth career trip to the disabled list.

“If it’s a Grade 2, it’s going to be at least the two weeks. That’s why we’re doing it,” general manager Brian Cashman said.

The Yankees said it hadn’t yet been determined whether Rodriguez would officially be placed on the disabled list Tuesday or Wednesday. Regardless, his stint on the DL can begin Tuesday because the team played without him—and Posada—in a 6-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers.

Rodriguez has been bothered by the injury since getting hurt April 20 in Baltimore. The third baseman missed three games last week, then returned for a four-game series at Cleveland. But he was removed for a pinch hitter in the eighth inning of Monday night’s 5-2 win over the Indians and said he felt a “pull” while running the bases.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said the team was surprised to learn the strain was so severe. Rodriguez was not available to reporters after Tuesday night’s loss.

“He’s a hard guy to replace,” Girardi said. “We have to find a way to get it done.”

Morgan Ensberg started in Rodriguez’s place at third base Tuesday night.

“Hopefully, it’ll be no more than the 15 days,” Cashman said. “But we’ve got to get it right.”

We expected this, so here it is:

From the NY Post

CLEVELAND - The Yankees are about to find out how valuable Jorge Posada is to them, and how long they will be without their All-Star catcher.

When Posada couldn't throw minutes before today's 1-0 win over the Indians at Progressive Field he was scratched and replaced by Jose Molina.

Afterward Posada went on the disabled list for the first time in his career because of a barking right shoulder he wants Dr. James Andrews to inspect. That could mean surgery, which could bring an extended absence.

Posada, who will undergo a second MRI exam (likely Tuesday), didn't start behind the plate from April 9 to April 22 because of what was diagnosed by three doctors - including Andrews and team physician Stuart Hershon - as a strained right shoulder. When the Yankees were in Boston (April 11-13) there was talk of a muscle tear in the labrum area that Posada denied to The Post in St. Petersburg on April 14. According to a Red Sox source, a Boston team doctor injected Posada with a cortisone shot on April 12, but Posada denied that was the case.

"I hope what we are dealing with is nothing new, but I don't know if it's new, different, something that was missed or something prior," said GM Brian Cashman, who was putting a list of possible replacements together. "Anything is open."

If surgery is required, the first season of Posada's four-year, $52.4 million contract could be over. He had surgery on the same shoulder after the 2001 season.

"I tried to play catch, couldn't throw and shut it down," said a dejected Posada, who made one strong throw to second base Saturday. "We are going to find out what's bothering me. We have to be smart about this. It's not getting any better. The MRI showed a strained muscle, but I think it's more than that."

Posada, whose eyes moistened while he talked, is so concerned the problem is serious that he said he was sorry for getting hurt.

"I apologize to the Yankees. I signed a good contract," said Posada, who is hitting .302 with a homer and 11 RBIs in 18 games (seven as a DH).

Because Chad Moeller was designated for assignment Friday, the Yankees were looking into seeing if they could get him back. Nevertheless, Cashman said he wasn't optimistic that could happen.

"I suspect that can't happen until the middle of next week," Cashman said. "My gut tells me that's not an immediate choice."

Chris Stuart, who caught the first of two Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Triple-A) games yesterday, will be called up to join the team tonight to back up Molina.

How much time Posada will miss will determine what type of catcher the Yankees try to get. Mike DiFelice is at Durham (Rays' Triple-A team) and has an out in his contract if he gets a major league offer. Josh Paul is catching for Round Rock (Astros' Triple-A squad) and Doug Mirabelli is a free agent after getting cut by the Red Sox.

Texas recalled Jarrod Saltalamacchia this weekend and is expected to renew efforts to deal Gerald Laird. Arizona's Miguel Montero is off the disabled list and that makes Robby Hammock available.

"It's huge," Alex Rodriguez said of losing Posada. "We count on him for so many things. It's hard to replace Jorge." 