Alex Rodriguez is stuck in a slump. Right when the New York Yankees are in dire need of steady production: his throws are wild, swings are late. And now he’s back in Texas, where he can always count on a cold reception.

Playing in the Big Apple with a record $252 million contract, Rodriguez is constantly under the microscope. Every failure is magnified, fodder for the back pages of the city tabloids or talk radio. A-Rod has been booed at Yankee Stadium nearly all season for failing to come through at the plate.

“I’m working through it,” Rodriguez said recently. “It’s not easy, that’s for sure.”

The two-time MVP committed five errors in a five-game span last week and led the American League with 18 going into Monday. In fact, it got so bad that manager Joe Torre made Rodriguez the designated hitter Saturday in Toronto. Rodriguez went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts, including one with the bases loaded, during New York’s 5-4 victory.

He finished 0-for-4 again Sunday in a 13-5 loss and was on a 4-for-27 slide going into Monday night’s series opener against the Rangers, his former team.

One major flaw is his footwork at third base. But the biggest obstacle is probably in his head.

Rodriguez made a pretty smooth transition from shortstop to third base when he joined the Yankees in 2004. He worked hard that spring to get comfortable and made only 13 errors all season. He committed 12 errors last year, and his strong defense was a big reason he beat out Boston designated hitter David Ortiz for AL MVP.

But he drops down, submarine-style, to make his throws across the diamond.

The problem now is that, without proper footwork, his throws are often tailing high and to the right. Like a slice off a right-handed golf swing. A-Rod is opening up his front shoulder too far and planting his left foot wide of the target, instead of directly toward the target. Overcompensate, and he hooks his throw too far to the left.

“It’s definitely mechanics,” said Rodriguez. “It really becomes staying on top of the baseball. Pitchers, catchers, everybody does it at some point. You’ve just got to get your target, get your footwork and stay on top of the baseball.”

You can almost see him trying to aim his throws from third. He doesn’t look natural.

But the Yankees, who trail first-place Boston in the AL East, have a more pressing concern. Missing three injured All-Stars, they need Rodriguez to rediscover his form – quickly – so they can stay close in a tight pennant race.

“I don’t know what’s going on,” pitcher Mike Mussina said. “It’s just not him right now. We need him back the way he’s supposed to be.”