2001 Sweet Spot

Description

2001 Sweet Spot was the debut of a new brand by Upper Deck. The 150-card base set was distributed in two series.

The first 90 cards were released in February as part of the Sweet Spot product, with the last 30 cards making up the Sweet Beginnings subset. Each Sweet Beginnings card is serial-numbered to 1000 copies.

Each 18-pack Hobby box will yield one Game Worn Jersey card, one Game Used Bat card, either one Sweet Spot Signature card or one Game Used Base card. Each Hobby box will also contain one Pinstripe Exclusives: Joe DiMaggio Bonus pack.

The final 60 cards were issued in December in the Upper Deck Rookie Update product, with another 30 Sweet Beginnings cards -- this time numbered to 1500.

Distribution

Hobby: 18 packs plus one, three-card Joe DiMaggio Pinstripe Exclusives pack per box, four cards per pack (MSRP: $2.99). Hobby only.

Insertion Ratios

Cards	Total Cards	Numbered To	Hobby Odds
Base	150	-	?
short set (Sweet Spot Series)	90	-	4:1
Sweet Beginnings (Sweet Spot Series)	30	1000	?
short set (Rookie Update Series	30	-	?
Sweet Beginnings (Rookie Update Series)	30	1500	?
Big League Challenge	20	-	1:6
Players Party	10	-	1:12
Game Jersey	20	-	1:18
Game Bat	19	-	1:18
Game Base Level 1	16	-	*
Game Base Level 2	13	50	*
Signatures	52	?	*

* Odds of finding a Game Base or Sweet Spot Signature: 1:18/packs.

Checklist

Base Set

Sweet Spot Series

• 1 Troy Glaus
• 2 Darin Erstad
• 3 Jason Giambi
• 4 Tim Hudson
• 5 Ben Grieve
• 6 Carlos Delgado
• 7 David Wells
• 8 Greg Vaughn
• 9 Roberto Alomar
• 10 Jim Thome
• 11 John Olerud
• 12 Edgar Martinez
• 13 Cal Ripken, Jr.
• 14 Albert Belle
• 15 Ivan Rodriguez
• 16 Alex Rodriguez
• 17 Pedro Martinez
• 18 Nomar Garciaparra
• 19 Manny Ramirez
• 20 Jermaine Dye
• 21 Juan Gonzalez
• 22 Dean Palmer
• 23 Matt Lawton
• 24 Eric Milton
• 25 Frank Thomas
• 26 Magglio Ordonez
• 27 Derek Jeter
• 28 Bernie Williams
• 29 Roger Clemens
• 30 Jeff Bagwell
• 31 Richard Hidalgo
• 32 Chipper Jones
• 33 Greg Maddux
• 34 Richie Sexson
• 35 Jeromy Burnitz
• 36 Mark McGwire
• 37 Jim Edmonds
• 38 Sammy Sosa
• 39 Randy Johnson
• 40 Steve Finley
• 41 Gary Sheffield
• 42 Shawn Green
• 43 Vladimir Guerrero
• 44 Jose Vidro
• 45 Barry Bonds
• 46 Jeff Kent
• 47 Preston Wilson
• 48 Luis Castillo
• 49 Mike Piazza
• 50 Edgardo Alfonzo
• 51 Tony Gwynn
• 52 Ryan Klesko
• 53 Scott Rolen
• 54 Bob Abreu
• 55 Jason Kendall
• 56 Brian Giles
• 57 Ken Griffey, Jr.
• 58 Barry Larkin
• 59 Todd Helton
• 60 Mike Hampton UER

Sweet Beginnings

Each Sweet Beginnings card is serial-numbered to 1000 copies.

• 61 Corey Patterson
• 62 Ichiro Suzuki RC
• 63 Jason Grilli
• 64 Brian Cole
• 65 Juan Pierre
• 66 Matt Ginter
• 67 Jimmy Rollins
• 68 Jason Smith RC
• 69 Israel Alcantara
• 70 Adam Pettyjohn RC
• 71 Luke Prokopec
• 72 Barry Zito
• 73 Keith Ginter
• 74 Sun Woo Kim
• 75 Ross Gload
• 76 Matt Wise
• 77 Aubrey Huff
• 78 Ryan Franklin
• 79 Brandon Inge
• 80 Wes Helms
• 81 Junior Spivey RC
• 82 Ryan Vogelsong
• 83 John Parrish
• 84 Joe Crede
• 85 Damian Rolls
• 86 Esix Snead RC
• 87 Rocky Biddle
• 88 Brady Clark
• 89 Timo Perez
• 90 Jay Spurgeon

Rookie Update Series

• 91 Garret Anderson
• 92 Jermaine Dye
• 93 Shannon Stewart
• 94 Ben Grieve
• 95 Juan Gonzalez
• 96 Bret Boone
• 97 Tony Batista
• 98 Rafael Palmeiro
• 99 Carl Everett
• 100 Mike Sweeney
• 101 Tony Clark
• 102 Doug Mientkiewicz
• 103 Jose Canseco
• 104 Mike Mussina
• 105 Lance Berkman
• 106 Andruw Jones
• 107 Geoff Jenkins
• 108 Matt Morris
• 109 Fred McGriff
• 110 Luis Gonzalez
• 111 Kevin Brown
• 112 Tony Armas, Jr.
• 113 John Vander Wal
• 114 Cliff Floyd
• 115 Matt Lawton
• 116 Phil Nevin
• 117 Pat Burrell
• 118 Aramis Ramirez
• 119 Sean Casey
• 120 Larry Walker

Sweet Beginnings

Each Sweet Beginnings Update Series card is serial-numbered to 1500 copies.

• 121 Albert Pujols RC
• 122 Johnny Estrada RC
• 123 Wilson Betemit RC
• 124 Adrian Hernandez RC
• 125 Morgan Ensberg RC
• 126 Horacio Ramirez RC
• 127 Josh Towers RC
• 128 Juan Uribe RC
• 129 Wilken Ruan
• 130 Andres Torres RC
• 131 Brian Lawrence RC
• 132 Ryan Freel RC
• 133 Brandon Duckworth RC
• 134 Juan Diaz RC
• 135 Rafael Soriano RC
• 136 Ricardo Rodriguez RC
• 137 Bud Smith RC
• 138 Mark Teixeira RC
• 139 Mark Prior RC
• 140 Jackson Melian RC*
• 141 Dewon Brazelton RC
• 142 Greg Miller RC*
• 143 Billy Sylvester RC*
• 144 Elpidio Guzman RC*
• 145 Jack Wilson RC
• 146 Jose Mieses RC*
• 147 Brandon Lyon RC
• 148 Tsuyoshi Shinjo RC
• 149 Juan Cruz RC
• 150 Jay Gibbons RC

Inserts

Big League Challenge

• BL1 Mark McGwire
• BL2 Richard Hidalgo
• BL3 Alex Rodriguez
• BL4 Shawn Green
• BL5 Frank Thomas
• BL6 Chipper Jones
• BL7 Rafael Palmeiro
• BL8 Troy Glaus
• BL9 Mike Piazza
• BL10 Andruw Jones
• BL11 Todd Helton
• BL12 Jason Giambi
• BL13 Sammy Sosa
• BL14 Carlos Delgado
• BL15 Barry Bonds
• BL16 Jose Canseco
• BL17 Jim Edmonds
• BL18 Manny Ramirez
• BL19 Gary Sheffield
• BL20 Nomar Garciaparra

Players Party

• PP1 Derek Jeter
• PP2 Randy Johnson
• PP3 Frank Thomas
• PP4 Nomar Garciaparra
• PP5 Ken Griffey, Jr.
• PP6 Carlos Delgado
• PP7 Mike Piazza
• PP8 Barry Bonds
• PP9 Sammy Sosa
• PP10 Pedro Martinez

Joe DiMaggio Pinstripe Exclusives

See 2001 Upper Deck Pinstripe Exclusives.

Autographs & Game-Used

Game Jersey

NOTE: Despite the fact that the product was released two months before Opening Day, Sweet Spot contained what Upper Deck claimed was the first "game-used jersey" card of Ichiro Suzuki (worn in "an official Major League Baseball game", no less!) When it was pointed out that there was no way possible that Ichiro's Game Jersey card could have been from an actual Major League game, UD issued a statement that the jersey in question was worn in a 1999 Spring Training game, when Ichiro was a guest player for the Mariners.

• J-AJ Andruw Jones
• J-AR Alex Rodriguez
• J-BB Barry Bonds
• J-CJ Chipper Jones
• J-CR Cal Ripken, Jr.
• J-DS Duke Snider
• J-FT Frank Thomas
• J-IR Ivan Rodriguez
• J-IS Ichiro Suzuki
• J-JC Jose Canseco
• J-JD Joe DiMaggio
• J-KG Ken Griffey, Jr.
• J-MM Mickey Mantle
• J-NR Nolan Ryan
• J-RC Roger Clemens
• J-RC Roberto Clemente
• J-RJ Randy Johnson
• J-SM Stan Musial
• J-SS Sammy Sosa
• J-WM Willie Mays

Game Bat

• B-AJ Andruw Jones
• B-AR Alex Rodriguez
• B-BB Barry Bonds
• B-CR Cal Ripken, Jr.
• B-FT Frank Thomas
• B-GS Gary Sheffield
• B-HA Hank Aaron
• B-IR Ivan Rodriguez
• B-JC Jose Canseco
• B-JD Joe DiMaggio
• B-KG Ken Griffey, Jr.
• B-MM Mickey Mantle
• B-NR Nolan Ryan
• B-RA Rick Ankiel
• B-RJ Reggie Jackson
• B-SM Stan Musial
• B-SS Sammy Sosa
• B-TC Ty Cobb
• B-WM Willie Mays

Game Base

NOTE: Each Sweet Spot Game Base features a chunk of a base used in a game the player's depicted played in. Each base is game-dated.

Level 1

• B1-BD Jeff Bagwell / Jermaine Dye
• B1-BH Barry Bonds / Todd Helton
• B1-CP Roger Clemens / Mike Piazza
• B1-GD Vladimir Guerrero / Carlos Delgado
• B1-GRA Ken Griffey, Jr. / Manny Ramirez
• B1-GRO Tony Gwynn / Ivan Rodriguez
• B1-HG Jeffrey Hammonds / Troy Glaus
• B1-JG Chipper Jones / Nomar Garciaparra
• B1-JGI Randy Johnson / Jason Giambi
• B1-JP Mike Piazza / Derek Jeter
• B1-MG Mark McGwire / Ken Griffey, Jr.
• B1-MP Mark McGwire / Timo Perez
• B1-RJ Alex Rodriguez / Derek Jeter
• B1-RR Scott Rolen / Cal Ripken, Jr.
• B1-SR Gary Sheffield / Alex Rodriguez
• B1-ST Sammy Sosa / Frank Thomas

Level 2

Each Sweet Spot Game Base Level 2 is serial-numbered to 50 copies.

• B2- STO Sammy Sosa / Frank Thomas / Magglio Ordonez
• B2-BDH Jeff Bagwell / Jermaine Dye / Richard Hidalgo
• B2-BHK Barry Bonds / Todd Helton / Jeff Kent
• B2-GDM Vladimir Guerrero / Carlos Delgado / Raul Mondesi
• B2-GRP Tony Gwynn / Ivan Rodriguez / Rafael Palmeiro
• B2-GRT Ken Griffey, Jr. / Manny Ramirez / Jim Thome
• B2-HGH Jeff Hammonds / Troy Glaus / Todd Helton
• B2-JGC Randy Johnson / Jason Giambi / Eric Chavez
• B2-JGJ Chipper Jones / Nomar Garciaparra / Andruw Jones
• B2-MGE Mark McGwire / Ken Griffey, Jr. / Jim Edmonds
• B2-PJW Mike Piazza / Derek Jeter / Bernie Williams
• B2-RRB Scott Rolen / Cal Ripken, Jr. / Albert Belle
• B2-SRM Gary Sheffield / Alex Rodriguez / Edgar Martinez

Signatures

One of the more innovative inserts of the era, Sweet Spot Signatures are signed on a piece of leather made to look like the "sweet spot" of a baseball (red stitching and all) -- hence the name of the product. Most of these leather swatches were not from an actual baseball; however, for some of the deceased players, UD cut up a signed baseball and slapped the leather piece on a card.

NOTES

• Upper Deck announced production figures for some of the cards shortly after the product's release; however, none of the cards are serial-numbered.
• Roger Clemens and Willie Mays packed out as redemptions, which expired November 8th, 2001.
• Three players (Albert Belle, Pat Burrell and Rafael Furcal) have live autographs and redemptions.
• Forty of Joe DiMaggio's 150 cards have a "Yankee Clipper" notation.

• S-AB Albert Belle PART EXCH
• S-AH Art Howe
• S-AJ Andruw Jones
• S-AR Alex Rodriguez 154
• S-AT Alan Trammell
• S-BB Buddy Bell
• S-BM Bill Madlock
• S-BR Babe Ruth 1
• S-BV Bobby Valentine
• S-CB Chris Chambliss
• S-CD Carlos Delgado
• S-CJ Chipper Jones
• S-DB Dusty Baker
• S-DB Don Baylor
• S-DE Darin Erstad
• S-DJ Davey Johnson
• S-DL Davey Lopes
• S-FT Frank Thomas
• S-GS Gary Sheffield
• S-HM Hal McRae
• S-IR Ivan Rodriguez 150
• S-JB Jeff Bagwell 214
• S-JC Jose Canseco
• S-JD Joe DiMaggio 110
• S-JDa Joe DiMaggio "Yankee Clipper" 40
• S-JG Joe Garagiola
• S-JG Jason Giambi
• S-JR Jim Rice
• S-KG Ken Griffey, Jr. 100
• S-LP Lou Piniella
• S-MB Milton Bradley
• S-ML Mike Lamb
• S-MM Mickey Mantle 10
• S-MW Matt Williams
• S-NR Nolan Ryan
• S-PB Pat Burrell PART EACH
• S-PO Paul O'Neill
• S-RAI Roberto Alomar
• S-RAN Rick Ankiel
• S-RC Roger Clemens EXCH
• S-RF Rafael Furcal PART EXCH
• S-RJ Randy Johnson
• S-RV Robin Ventura
• S-SG Shawn Green
• S-SM Stan Musial
• S-SS Sammy Sosa 148
• S-TC Ty Cobb 1
• S-TGL Troy Glaus
• S-TGW Tony Gwynn
• S-TH Tim Hudson
• S-TL Tony LaRussa
• S-WM Willie Mays EXCH

Rookie Update Ichiro Rookie Buyback Autographs

Upper Deck bought-back four copies of Ichiro's Sweet Sport Sweet Beginnings card (#92), had Ichiro sign them, and randomly inserted them into packs of Rookie Update. Each is hand-numbered to 50 copies -- for the aggregate number of Ichiro cards UD bought back for this promotion -- and features a UD Authentic hologram.