Rangers to retire 'Pudge' Rodriguez's No. 7

What a week for "Pudge."

Two days after Ivan Rodriguez was elected to the Hall of Fame along with Tim Raines and Jeff Bagwell, the Texas Rangers announced Friday they're retiring the retired catcher's No. 7, who said he'd enter Cooperstown as a Ranger.

"This has been a crazy 4-5 days since I received the call," Rodriguez told the crowd at an awards banquet Friday, according to MLB.com's TR Sullivan. "I want to thank all of you. You have been a big part of me, all the support you have given me in my career. It has been a great 13 years with the Rangers. I played with six organizations but this is the best I've ever been with."

It will be the third Rangers number retired in franchise history, along with the No. 34 worn by Nolan Ryan and the No. 26 worn by Johnny Oates. Jackie Robinson's No. 42 is retired across all of Major League Baseball.

"It's great," Rodriguez said. "It is just another great honor. That's how much respect the organization has for me to do that. I knew they were probably going to do it and they were waiting for the right moment. I'm glad they are doing it in the year I am going to the Hall of Fame."

An official ceremony will take place in August at a yet to be determined date.

Rodriguez retired in 2012 after 21 seasons in the big leagues.

The 14-time All-Star and 13-time Gold Glove winner owned a career slash line of .296/.334/.464 with 311 home runs and 1,332 RBIs. He won the AL MVP in 1999.