Former Rangers catcher Ivan Rodriguez announces his retirement and catches …

Former Florida Marlins catcher Ivan Rodriguez, also known as Pudge, returned to the Texas Rangers to formally announce his retirement from Major League Baseball.

by Robbie Griffin • Apr 23, 2012 11:00 AM CDT Ivan Rodriguez came up as a defense-first catcher, and developed himself in to a pretty good hitter. Rarely was he great, simply great for his position. Coming off an MVP year, he had a slash line of

ARLINGTON – Choking up on several occasions but never fully breaking into full-blown tears, Ivan Rodriguez announced his official retirement as a player Monday, but said he plans to stay around the game. It's likely the

632 and the visiting New York Yankees beat the Texas Rangers, 7-4, Monday night, spoiling the retirement ceremony for former Rangers catcher Ivan Rodriguez. Rodriguez, a 14-time All-Star catcher, ended a 21-season playing career spent mostly in Texas.

Former general manager Tom Grieve retold the story Monday about how scout Doug Gassaway and former scouting director Sandy Johnson discovered catcher Ivan Rodriguez at a free agent camp in Puerto Rico. Pudge was a . . . well . . . pudgy 16-year-old at