TAMPA — Mark Teixeira didn’t get anywhere near the amount of swings he was looking for Wednesday during a brief simulated game.
Yet, after taking three hacks Monday and three Wednesday against live pitches, the switch-hitting first baseman plans on making his exhibition season debut Thursday against the Phillies in Clearwater.
Or not.
“We will see, I feel good and I am sure I will be ready to play,’’ said Teixeira, who was puzzled by the brief George M. Steinbrenner Field workout because before the session he said he was looking forward to seeing more — and swinging at more — pitches than he did Monday.
While no reason for the aborted workout was given to Teixeira, David Herndon, who threw 21 pitches to Scott Sizemore and Teixeira, was the only pitcher slated to throw a simulated game according to pitching coach Larry Rothschild.
And there might have been confusion about the start time since Herndon began throwing to Sizemore before Teixeira arrived on Field 1.
The Yankees have 34 pitchers in camp, counting Andrew Bailey who is rehabbing.
According to manager Joe Girardi, playing Teixeira will be decided Thursday.
“BP went OK, I’ll talk to him [Thursday]. If he feels he’s ready to go I’ll put him in there. If he thinks he needs another day we’ll do that,’’ the manager said.
Clearly, Teixeira was surprised at the brevity of the simulated game.
“Today, I hope to get more strikes and swing at more pitches because I really want to test the wrist out and not my eye,’’ Teixeira said before the workout.
When Teixeira put a ball in play during his second at-bat, Rothschild ended the activity.
“That’s it?’’ a shocked Teixeira asked before gathering his gear and leaving the field.
“I thought I was going to get a lot more work the last few days but I do what I am told and go out there [Thursday],’’ said Teixeira, who was relegated to regular BP Tuesday. “You guys can ask them. I show up at 9:30 when I am supposed to show up and when they tell me it’s done it’s done.’’
Teixeira had hoped to use Wednesday’s live action to swing hard and test the wrist which has held up so far.
“I have been feeling good, the last week especially, I feel that I am getting strength back,’’ said Teixeira, who took regular batting practice off celebrity instructor Willie Randolph after the live deal. “There are still some strides to make. I don’t expect to go out there [Thursday] and expect to be in midseason form. That’s why we have three weeks left in spring training.
“I have been looking forward to it for a long time,’’ Teixeira said of playing in his first game since last June 15 when he was limited to 15 games due to a wrist injury that required surgery. “I want to get through a full game and take a couple of at-bats, I hope to get three, and not have one swing and say, ‘I felt it.’ If that happens it’s a successful day no matter what the results.”
It was at this time last year Teixeira suffered the wrist injury swinging off a tee getting ready to represent the United States in the World Baseball Classic.
“It’s been weird. I don’t want to go through it again. That’s why we are taking it slow,’’ Teixeira said. “In some respects it was a really, really slow year and in some respects it went by quickly because I was so busy trying to get back. My mind was always working. My body was shut down for a while but my mind was, ‘Okay, when can I start rehabbing? When can I pick up a bat? When can I do this? When can I do that?’ I can see it both ways.’’
Despite swinging at six live batting practice pitches, Girardi isn’t putting a limit on Teixeira if he plays.
“I don’t think so. I don’t know I if I’ll do three [at-bats], some of it will be how long the game is, if it’s wet, if it rains, usually the first time 4-5 innings. Hopefully we can give him four or five innings,’’ Girardi said.
— Additional reporting by Mike Vaccaro