Collecting Game-used: David Robertson's final Yankees cap

David Robertson will soon take the mound for just his third big-league franchise as the closer on a Philadelphia Phillies team that includes one of MLB's biggest stars as well as a number of young players all looking for one thing.

A World Series ring.

Robertson got one of those a decade ago when he was in just his second year with the New York Yankees. Since then, he's racked up 137 saves (11th-best among active players once Craig Kimbrel re-signs) and despite that success he's not the easiest player to collect. Want a certified autograph card of him in any MLB uniform? It doesn't exist. That alone should be enough to have you reacting like this.

But that's where a little collecting game-used comes in ... at least for my collection.

Robertson's nine seasons with the Yankees mean there has been the potential for a lot more game-used memorabilia to get out into collectors' hands via Steiner Sports which has had a Yankees deal for years. He pitched for the White Sox for three seasons before returning to New York two summers ago and the cap you see above and in this photo from USA Today's Noah K. Murray here is from his absolute final game in Yankees pinstripes -- Game 4 of the American League Divisional Series last year.

This cap was a recent find of mine via Steiner for less than a typical non-flagship box of cards. It's MLB Authenticated and Steiner-stickered, too. It comes from a 4-3 loss to the rival Boston Red Sox where Robertson worked 1 2/3 innings, throwing 20 of 30 pitches for strikes and whiffing four while walking one before yielding the ball to Dellin Betances in the seventh. This stands as his final Yankees cap unless he somehow returns to The Big Apple for a third time after Philly.

Caps don't typically show much use unless they're from multiple games or from a superstitious player, but this one does have the postseason logo on the right side as seen in that photo (and many others from the game). That makes it more unique than other caps from throughout the year. (Finding postseason baseball photos to match game-used items? Also not tough.) This one has his No. 30 written on the inside front of the crown above its headband while the MLB Authentication and Steiner stickers adorn the underside of the bill for this size-7 1/8 cap.

Another fun reason I like this piece besides it being the first game-used cap in my Alabama alumni game-used and autograph collection? The game took place on my birthday. At some point, I'll find the perfect autographed item to go with it -- but, until then, it's a solid piece in my stash that didn't break the bank.

>> See all past Collecting Game-used stories from Buzz here

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