center fielder. He hit .293 with six homers and 51 RBI and also stole 15 bases. He described his experience with the Rangers as "great." Hamilton did not make an error all season and led all center fielders in putouts as the Rangers put a premium on defense that season. The Rangers won the American League West division and the first playoff berth in franchise history. In the 1996 American League Division Series against the New York Yankees, Hamilton had three hits in 19 at-bats as the Rangers dropped the series three games to one . San Francisco Giants Hamilton signed a two-year contract with the San Francisco Giants on January 10, 1997. On June 12, he got the first hit in the first-ever regular-season interleague game, when the Giants defeated the Rangers 4–3. In 125 games, Hamilton had a .270 batting average, five homers, 43 RBI and 15 stolen bases. In the 1997 National League Division Series, Hamilton was hitless in five at-bats as the Giants were swept in three games by the eventual World Series champion Florida Marlins. He followed that up by playing in 97 games for the Giants in 1998 and hitting .294. Colorado Rockies The Giants traded Hamilton and Jim Stoops to the Colorado Rockies for Ellis Burks on July 31, 1998. Hamilton was surprised by the trade, wanting to complete his contract in San Francisco. In 51 games he hit .335. He re-signed with the Rockies after the 1998 season for one year and $3.6 million and played in 91 games in the 1999 season with an OBP of .374 for them. New York Mets Hamilton was traded to the New York Mets with Chuck McElroy for Rigo Beltrán, Brian McRae, and Thomas Johns on July 31, 1999. He played with the Mets through the 2001 season. In his three seasons with them he played in 150 games and hit .283. Hamilton and the Mets played in the post-season in both 1999 and 2000. In 1999, the Mets made the playoffs as a result of winning a one game playoff against the Cincinnati Reds. Once in, they defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 1999 National League Division Series before losing to the Atlanta Braves in six games in the National League Championship Series. Hamilton had six hits in 17 at-bats in that series. In 2000, the Mets defeated the San Francisco Giants in four