While talk swirls around the Bay Area about the Giants' likely purge of veteran players, one player who fits that description rarely hears his name mentioned.

Catcher Bengie Molina has become a team stalwart in just his second season in San Francisco. He proved his offensive worth again Tuesday, when he hit two homers in the Giants' 6-3 win over the Nationals. And his defensive worth is well-known, thanks to two AL Gold Glove awards earlier this decade with the Angels, plus a strong regard for his handling of the pitching staff.

So while the Giants have already sent second baseman Ray Durham packing, and they could be looking to move infielder Rich Aurilia and outfielders Dave Roberts and Randy Winn, Molina doesn't figure to go anywhere.

Molina, who turned 34 Sunday, will make $6 million in 2009, the final year of a three-year, $16 million deal he signed in December 2006. If the salary weren't enough to make it desirable for the Giants to retain Molina, there's another factor: He has a no-trade clause in his contract.

His three RBIs Tuesday give him 59 for the season, putting him on pace for a career high. In Molina's 10 previous big-league seasons, his best total was the 81 RBIs he had for the Giants last year.

GIANTS 6, NATIONALS 3: LHP Barry Zito turned in a quality start (six innings, three runs), and three scoreless innings by the bullpen allowed San Francisco to win the series opener. Bengie Molina homered twice, and Fred Lewis led off the bottom of the first with a homer.

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