Bengie Molina will get a W.S. ring regardless of outcome

[Andre]

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Bengie Molina gets a ring regardless of who wins this World Series.

"I don't know how to explain it, but it's going to be a very happy, weird feeling," said Molina, the catcher who was traded from San Francisco to Texas this season. "Just weird because I played there for 3½ years, and to wear another color in that stadium."

Molina has been with the Rangers for only 3½ months, shipped off by the Giants on July 1 to make room for top prospect Buster Posey behind the plate.


Instead of catching Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Brian Wilson and the other Giants pitchers he knows so well, Molina faces a more difficult task -- trying to hit against them and beat them in Texas' first World Series.

It makes for a strange scenario: Both of Molina's teams are in the spotlight.

"It's going to be a very happy World Series for Bengie Molina. I'm going to try to enjoy it as much as I can," he said.

Game 1 is Wednesday in San Francisco with a matchup of the 2008 Cy Young Award winners, Lincecum vs. Rangers ace Cliff Lee.

This isn't the first time Molina has faced the Giants in a World Series. But his 2002 championship with the Angels came before he played in San Francisco.

The Rangers acquired Molina to help settle their catching situation, and he shares time with Matt Treanor. Molina played 57 regular-season games with Texas and 61 for the Giants.

San Francisco traded Molina soon after promoting Posey, who became the club's cleanup hitter and a leading contender for NL Rookie of the Year.