TAMPA — Tex isn’t Tex yet.
Mark Teixeira still has a ways to go before he regains his batting strength, after last year’s right wrist injury and subsequent surgery.
With Opening Day four days away for the Yankees, Teixeira’s hitting mechanics are not there yet. He’s hitting .091 this spring.
“I’m not trusting that the wrist is healthy,’’ Teixeira told The Post Thursday at Steinbrenner Field.
“I’m just trying to protect it,’’ he said. “Taking your ‘A’ swing, taking that swing that is 100 percent and I need to trust that I can do that and not feel pain. I need to finish my swing instead of protecting my wrist. Last year, to protect my wrist, I didn’t finish my swing.’’
Therein lies the problem. Teixeira, though, is not about to panic.
“Overall, the wrist is feeling good, it’s getting stronger, but I just need to mechanically make sure I’m taking the right swings,’’ he explained.
The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Teixeira smiled and said, “You don’t want me to be a slap hitter.”
Noted one AL scout who watched Teixeira hit recently, “He still has some rust to knock off that swing.’’
When will Teixeira gain that trust in his swing to just let it go?
“Hopefully, really soon,’’ said Teixeira, who averaged 34 home runs and 106 RBIs his first four seasons as a Yankee but was limited to three home runs and 12 RBIs last year, when he got only 53 at-bats.
“Obviously, we’re kind of running out of time in spring training, but I know that my wrist is going to get stronger as the year goes on and I think I’m going to progressively get better,’’ he said.
A wrist injury affects the swing in many ways, and Teixeira still is not able to let it rip.
A healthy Teixeira can do damage — he’s one of only three first basemen in major league history to record 30 home runs and 100 RBI in eight straight seasons by age 31, according to Elias.
The other two? Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx and Albert Pujols. That’s some Cooperstown Company.
To get back to that level, Teixeira has been working overtime this spring trying to find his swing, and has kept a positive attitude throughout.
“That’s the great thing about spring training.” Teixeira said. “You have the opportunity to work on some mechanical things, when last season I got into some bad habits trying to protect the wrist.’’
Bad habits created as a result of tearing a tendon sheath while hitting in preparation for the World Baseball Classic.
Regardless of the injury, a lot will be expected of Teixeira this season. With no Alex Rodriguez around to boo, it will be fascinating to see how forgiving Yankees fans will be if Teixeira struggles.
Robinson Cano is gone, too. The Yankees reloaded offensively, signing free agents Jacoby Ellsbury, Brian McCann and Carlos Beltran. But you expect power from first base.
“He feels good physically,’’ Beltran said of Teixeira. “It’s just a matter of trust now in letting his swing go, but he’ll be fine. He’s a veteran guy. He knows what he needs to do.’’
The Yankees need him.
“He’s going to be a key guy for us this year,’’ Beltran said.
Teixeira must get his timing back and trust in the wrist, two mighty comeback mountains to climb.
“This spring training has been a great learning experience for me, being able to work through the bad habits I had last year,’’ Teixeira said.
Teixeira has only one extra-base hit this spring, a double.
“I need to work my way up, and get to the point where mechanically I’m 100 percent sound, the wrist is getting stronger and then I’ll be able to do my thing and I think I’m close to getting there,’’ Teixeira said.
First Teixeira must gain complete trust in his wrist. Then get to the point that his hitting mechanics are sound. The season is set to start, but there is much work to be done.