The New York Mets are in their first World Series in 15 years, and while fans hope this year’s team ends up faring better than the squad that lost to the New York Yankees, there’s still a special place in Mets fan’s hearts for the 2000 team.
While some of the players have remained in the public spotlight, others have receded into normal, private lives offline and out-of-sight.
Here’s what some of the players on the Mets’ 2000 World Series roster have been up to since playing in the Fall Classic.
1. Kurt Abbott, Backup Infielder
Kurt Abbott would serve as a defensive replacement for Mike Bordick or come in as a pinch hitter.
Abbott now helps run a baseball academy for young players in Florida.
Posted by Kurt Abbott on Monday, May 11, 2015
2. Benny Agbayani, Starting Left Fielder
The Hawaiian outfielder was one of the spark plugs for the Mets that postseason.
In 2010, Agbayani told the New York Daily News that he was working as an educational assistant in a high school in Hawaii. In a recent interview, he mentions that he is still working with kids and is also coaching baseball.
3. Edgardo Alfonzo, Starting Second Baseman
Edgardo Alfonzo was a staple for the Mets on offense and defense that season.
Alfonzo is currently a coach for the Brooklyn Cyclones’ minor league team.
A photo posted by Gordon Donovan (@gordondonovan) on Sep 7, 2015 at 6:28am PDT
4. Armando Benitez, Closer
Benitez is most infamously known by Mets fans for blowing Game 1 of the World Series.
The last time Benitez was in the public spotlight, he was pitching for the Long Island Ducks in 2012. The Ducks are a professional team, but not associated with the MLB. This appears to be the last known year the reliever played professional ball in the U.S.
5. Mike Bordick, Shortstop
The veteran had a rough World Series.
Bordick is an analyst during Baltimore Orioles games for the MASN network, where he’s been since 2012.
6. Dennis Cook, Reliever
Dennis Cook was the team’s left-handed specialist.
Cook was named manager for Sweden’s National Team in 2010, a position he held through the 2014 European championship, as well.
7. John Franco, Reliever
John Franco was one of the Mets’ pitchers during the 2000 season.
In 2012, Franco was elected to the Mets’ Hall of Fame. He continues to have strong ties to the organization, including working with the team as a special instructor during the 2015 spring training season.
A video posted by John Franco (@johnfranconymets) on Sep 18, 2015 at 6:07pm PDT
8. Matt Franco, Utility Player
Matt Franco was a utility guy off the bench, playing a number of positions for the 2000 team.
According to Oder & Stewart Investment Management, LLC, he is a marketing representative for the company.
9. Darryl Hamilton, Outfielder
After retiring in 2001 Hamilton was a baseball analyst for a variety of places including the MLB Network.
Hamilton was tragically killed in an apparent murder-suicide by an ex-girlfriend in June 2015.
We mourn the passing of our friend and colleague, Darryl Hamilton. pic.twitter.com/GXcTDgkhi9
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 22, 2015
10. Mike Hampton, Starting Pitcher
Mike Hampton pitched on the 2000 team and started Game 2 of the World Series for the Mets.
For the 2013 season, Hampton was the pitching coach for the Los Angeles Angels’ Double-A affiliate, the Arkansas Travelers.
11. Lenny Harris, Utility Player
Lenny Harris was known for his ability to come up big in pinch-hitting situations and play a number of positions.
In May 2015, Lenny Harris became the third base coach for the Miami Marlins.
12. Bobby Jones, Starting Pitcher
He started Game 4 of the 2000 World Series.
Jones is living in Fresno, California where he is a wine maker and connoisseur.
13. Al Leiter, Starting Pitcher
Al Leiter was the team’s ace during the season and started Game 1 of the World Series.
Leiter currently serves as an analyst for the MLB & YES Networks.
14. Joe McEwing, Utility Player
“Super Joe” was known for his ability to effectively play most positions on the field.
McEwing has been the third base coach for the Chicago White Sox for four seasons.
15. Jay Payton, Starting Center Fielder
Jay Payton played center field for the Mets.
According to Payton’s LinkedIn, he currently works as a baseball instructor for younger kids in Oklahoma.
16. Timo Perez, Starting Outfielder
Timo Perez was New York’s strongest base-running threat.
Perez, like Benitez, was on the Long Island Ducks team in 2012. This also appears to be last time the outfielder played professional ball in the U.S.
17. Mike Piazza, Starting Catcher
Mike Piazza was the team’s strongest hitter.
In 2013, Piazza was elected to the Mets Hall of Fame. He released an autobiography “Long Shot” in February 2014. After just missing being elected into the MLB Hall of Fame in 2015, the catcher with the most career home runs will have another chance in 2016.
18. Todd Pratt, Backup Catcher
The scrappy catcher would serve as the catcher in American League ballparks while Piazza was the designated hitter.
He’s currently the interim athletics director and head baseball coach at West Georgia Technical College.
19. Rick Reed, Starting Pitcher
Rick Reed started Game 3 of the World Series.
Reed has maintained a low profile since he retired. He was the pitching coach at Marshall for a short period of time. The former pitcher also visited Citi Field in 2010 as part of a special weekend for past Mets players, according to the Daily News.
20. Glendon Rusch, Starting Pitcher
Glendon Rusch was a starter for the Mets during the season, but pitched four innings over three games in the World Series.
Rusch took on the role of pitching coach for the Lake Elsinore Storm minor league team in 2015.
Posted by Lake Elsinore Storm on Monday, August 24, 2015
21. Bubba Trammell, Outfielder
Bubba Trammell was a reserve outfielder for New York.
Trammell had some trouble with the law — he was arrested for a domestic incident in 2013, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel.
22. Robin Ventura, Starting Third Baseman
Robin Ventura hit a World Series home run against the Yankees’ Orlando Hernández.
Out of all the former MLB players on the 2000 Mets, Ventura’s progressed the furthest as a coach, becoming the manager of Chicago White Sox in 2011.
23. Turk Wendell, Reliever
Turk Wendell was the quirky, superstitious late-inning reliever.
In a 2010 conversation, Wendell told the NY Post that he owned a hunting and fishing camp in the Rocky Mountains. The Mets’ Tumblr hosted a Q+A with the reliever in February 2015, where Wendell said he was still out in Colorado.
2000 mets turk wendell todd pratt fonzy pic.twitter.com/MWbYLAIvnH
— edgardo a alfonzo (@fonzy9) January 19, 2014
24. Rick White, Reliever
Rick White was a relief pitcher for New York.
According to his LinkedIn, White was a coach at Wittenberg University for more than seven years, and now, he’s a general manager for the Champion City Kings, a summer college baseball league in Springfield Ohio.
25. Todd Zeile, First Baseman
Todd Zeile had a strong bat at the plate and a reliable glove on the field.
Since retiring in 2004, Zeile has spent his time in Hollywood producing a few television shows, including FX’s “Anger Management.” He has also produced a few movies including the 2005 film “Dirty Deeds.”
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