In 2000, the Mets defeated the San Francisco Giants in four games in the 2000 National League Division Series and the St. Louis Cardinals in five games in the 2000 National League Championship Series. Hamilton was a part-time player in the series, with only five at-bats in the division series and two in the championship series. In the 2000 World Series against the New York Yankees was hitless in three at-bats with two strikeouts as the Yankees won the series in five games. Hamilton was disappointed with his playing time during the playoffs and had a meeting with manager Bobby Valentine during spring training the following year to discuss his reduced playing time. Things did not improve for him and he asked for his release at the end of June, and it was granted on July 11, 2001. He signed a minor league contract with the Rockies a week later, but was released on July 25 after four games with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox. He retired at the end of the 2001 season.