Rangers Sign Draft Pick Teixeira

Switch-hitting third baseman Mark Teixeira agreed Wednesday to a four-year, $9.5-million contract with the Texas Rangers, ending the threat that he would return to Georgia Tech.

Teixeira, the fifth pick in June’s draft, received a major league contract with a $4.5-million signing bonus, payable over three years.

In 140 games over three seasons at Georgia Tech, Teixeira batted .409 with 36 home runs and 165 runs batted in.

The Rangers are expected to put him on the 40-man roster and send him to the Florida Instructional League.

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The Class A Midwest League is investigating reports that an umpire admitted making a wrong call intentionally because he was mad at a player.

Tyrone Boykin, manager of the Cedar Rapids Kernels, said umpire Erik Stahlbusch told him during an argument in a game Tuesday night that he had called out a Cedar Rapids runner even though he knew the player was safe.

The runner, Jason Coulie, had a confrontation with Stahlbusch earlier in the game against the Peoria Chiefs after being called out on a close play at first, Boykin said.

League President George Spelius said he was looking into the situation and would have no comment until he heard all sides.

Stahlbusch had no comment.

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A Seattle Mariner scout involved in signing 16-year-old right-hander Wang Chao from Beijing said the team did everything by the book.

But a spokesman for China’s Baseball Assn. said the organization was not informed of the signing. Yang Jie said Wang needed permission to play for an overseas team.

Ted Heid, director of Pacific Rim scouting for the Mariners, said the team never dealt with Yang during contract talks and never heard of him.

“We signed [Wang] to a 2002 contract per major league baseball guidelines,” Heid said.