Six six six II: just when you thought this post was dead forever

Greetings, Halloweenies. Thanks for taking a moment away from whatever your celebration may be to review this holiday post.

This is a continuation of a post that I published on Halloween two years ago. It was about cards that have dared to wear the No. 666. Shockingly, they have all lived to tell about it. In that post, I listed all of the cards that I could find from major sets that featured a 666 card.

And I left a warning at the end that the post could return, just like any cliched horror movie does just before the credits (or after the credits if you're gullible enough to sit in the dark through all of those names and titles).

That's right: I'M NOT DONE!! THE POST IS NOT DEAD! IT'S ALIVE! IT'S ALIVE!!!!!

There are more 666 cards to uncover, unearth, dig out of their grave, so the undead may walk the earth!

I'll start with the very latest, Fernando Rodney from this year's Heritage High Numbers set. Rodney appears to have signed the name of "James Ray" to his card, which is spooky enough if you put the name "Earl" in the middle there.

You can see that 666 Rodney was dealt from the Padres to the Marlins. I don't consider that a harbinger of evil to come. Normally it's a good thing to be traded by the Padres. But it's too early to see what fate may befall the sideways cap wearer.

The Heritage High Numbers set has been a goldmine for 666 cards. A year ago, Odubel Herrera landed on card No. 666. Herrera became an All-Star after this card came out.

Heritage High Numbers was an online-only feature the previous time it featured the No. 666. The unlucky player to show up on that number was the Twins' Carl Pavano, a pitcher well-known for encountering misfortune.

In 2008 and 2009, the first years for Heritage High Numbers, Rich Hill and Jason Michaels received the 666 honors.

Hill struggled to stay in the majors immediately after he appeared on that 666 card, even posting an ERA of infinity for the Angels in 2014. But he did manage to save the Dodgers' pitching staff from itself during the postseason. Michaels, meanwhile, was never the same as his earlier days with the Indians after this card. But I think his real misfortune is that photo.

In 2015, Topps put enough numbers in its flagship set to have a 666 card for the first time since 2005. Lucky Jonathan Broxton (still mad about that postseason against the Phillies) landed Topps' first 666 card in 10 years. After appearing on this card, he was signed by the Cardinals. He appeared in a lot of games, but couldn't get rid of that 4 ERA. At least it wasn't 6.66.

Topps continued the 700-card flagship set this year, meaning another 666 card. J.T. Realmuto landed on that card, complete with a Future Stars label AND a rookie cup. That is whistling in the graveyard for you. Hope it works out for you J.T.

When looking for these 666 cards I try to find some sort of commentary, a purposeful placement of a player or team on No. 666. Beyond Upper Deck intentionally making Dodgers card 666 during the late '80s and early '90s, I haven't found much (although I still say putting the Tigers at that number year after year until they won the World Series is a little creepy).

There is one semi-notable one though.

Byung-Hyun Kim gave up ninth-inning home runs to Tino Martinez and Scott Brosius in eventual Diamondbacks losses to the Yankees in Games 4 and 5 in the 2001 World Series. He was rewarded by getting card No. 666 in the 2002 Topps Total set. Yeah, that's unlucky.

Still, I don't know why I'm wasting my time with these cards where the No. 666 is on the back. There is only one card that I know of where the mark of the beast is on the front.

That sounds about right.

Happy Halloween.


666 cards in Topps sets:

1970- Adolfo Phillips
1971 - Gene Brabender
1972 - Hector Torres
1978 - Billy Smith
1979 - Rich Dauer
1980 - Tigers Future Stars
1981 - Tigers team checklist
1982 - Tigers leaders
1983 - Sparky Anderson
1984 - Tigers team leaders
1985 - Mike LaCoss
1986 - Rangers leaders
1987 - Von Hayes
1988 - Mario Soto
1989 - Randy St. Clair
1990 - Brian Fisher
1991 - Danny Darwin
1992 - Tom Foley
1993 - Glenallen Hill
1994 - Steve Buechele
2001 - Glenallen Hill
2002 - Mariners team card
2003 - Jeff Francis
2004 - Rangers team card
2005 - Rangers team card
2015 - Jonathan Broxton
2016 - J.T. Realmuto

666 cards in Topps Heritage High Numbers

2008 - Jason Michaels
2009 - Rich Hill
2012 - Carl Pavano
2015 - Odubel Herrera
2016 - Fernando Rodney

666 cards in Topps Total

2002 - Byung-hyun Kim
2005 - Keith Foulke

666 cards in Upper Deck

1989 - Kirk Gibson
1990 - Jose Gonzalez
1991 - Mickey Hatcher
1992 - Bob Ojeda
1993 - Jim Gott
1998 - Steve Cooke
2002 - Shawn Green
2006 - Brett Tomko
2007 - Latroy Hawkins
2008 - Jason Bartlett
2009 - Carlos Lee

666 cards in Upper Deck Documentary

2008 - Jermaine Dye

666 cards in Upper Deck 40 Man

2002 - P.J. Bevis
2003 - David Bell

666 cards in Yankee Stadium Legacy

2008 - Lefty Gomez

666 cards in Fleer

1991 - Andy Hawkins
1992 - Vinny Castilla
1993 - Mike Moore
1994 - Gene Harris
1997 - Sid Fernandez

666 cards in Score

1990 - Steve Hosey
1991 - Barry Larkin all-star
1992 - Jeff Manto

666 cards in Donruss

1990 - Ricky Horton
1991 - Willie McGee
1992 - Jeff Montgomery
1993 - Steve Foster

666 cards in Donruss Preferred

1998 - Neifi Perez

666 cards in Collector's Choice

1994 - Pokey Reese
1996 - Ernie Young

666 cards in Pacific

1998 (Pacific Online): Brett Mayne

666 cards in Stadium Club

1992 - Greg Vaughn
1993 - Harold Baines
1994 - Will Clark

666 cards in Bowman

1991 - Randy Myers
1992 - Bob Walk
1993 - Reggie Sanders
1994 - Dante Bichette

666 cards in Sporting News Conlon

1993 - Al Simmons

More to come????? ....