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The Associated Press

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SAN FRANCISCO - Federal officials are asking for a rehearing of an appeals court decision that said the government illegally seized drug-testing samples and records of baseball players who allegedly tested positive for steroids.

Officials say their investigations have been hampered by the ruling, which established new rules for computer searches by federal agents.

In a court filing Monday, the government asked the 9th U.S. Court of Appeals to take the unprecedented step of having all 27 of its judges reconsider the case.

A panel of 11 9th Circuit judges ruled in August that investigators trampled on protections against unreasonable searches when they seized the records and samples of 104 players who allegedly tested positive during baseball's 2003 survey.

Investigators initially obtained warrants for only the test results of 10 players.

In other baseball new, Omar Vizquel has agreed to a US$1,375,000, one-year contract with the Chicago White Sox.

The 42-year-old is an 11-time Gold Glove winner and has played mostly shortstop during 21 major league seasons. He figures to add depth to Chicago's young infield. With the Rangers this year, Vizquel hit .266 with one homer and 14 RBIs in 62 games. He had no errors in 207 chances while playing shortstop, third and second. Vizquel, who will turn 43 in April, will play for fellow Venezuelan Ozzie Guillen, a former shortstop who will be 46 in January.

The switch-hitter has 2,704 hits. He is a career .273 hitter with 78 homers, 906 RBIs and 1,378 runs in 2,742 games with Seattle, Cleveland, San Francisco and the Rangers.

Vizquel, who has played 238 games at shortstop since turning 40, has a career fielding percentage of .984. A three-time AL all-star, Vizquel played in the 1995 and 1997 World Series with Cleveland. Vizquel will provide experience as a backup in the infield where newly acquired Mark Teahen will play third, Alexei Ramirez will be at shortstop and Gordon Beckham will switch from third to second.