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Morning Coffee! Look, On The Mound, It's Good A.J.

Good morning, New York sports fans. Here is your first look at the local sports scene on another scorchign hot day here in the northeast.

• The New York Yankees had a 'Good A.J.' sighting Wednesday night, and they didn't even need to get out a telescope. A.J. Burnett, who had not won since July 28, stood on the Yankee Stadium mound and pitched six effective innings in a 4-3 victory over the Oakland Athletics. 
• The New York Mets lost to the Atlanta Braves for the third straight day. At least this one was by an almost competitive score of 4-1, rather than the 9-2 and 9-3  drubbings the Mets took Monday and Tuesday.
• The New York Jets travel to Philly tonight to take on the Eagles. Question for both teams in the preseason finale is can either team actually find an offense.
• The New York Giants finish the preseason by hosting the New England Patriots tonight. The Giants did not play well Saturday against Baltimore, and they are looking to answer some questions before the regular season begins.
• Andy Roddick got bounced from the U.S. Open Wedneday night. Follow SBNation.com for all your coverage of the final major tennis tournament of the year.
• Rutgers begins its college football season tonight with what should be a glorified scrimmage against Norfolk State.

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by Ed Valentine • Sep 2, 2010 7:59 AM EDT

Just Call Osi Umenyiora 'The Riddler'

New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora was trying to deliver a message Wednesday, and chose a unique way of doing. By basically speaking in riddles.

"I think in discussing the 2010 New York Giants, the one thing I would say is this: Individually, the team is like stars, but the team is the sun. While we might all shine, when the sun comes up, we all disappear. I’m quite sure you Giants fans understand exactly what I’m talking about, but there are some players on our team who have no idea what I just said. I’ll say this again, and by the way, they’re all on defense. Individually, the team is like stars, but the team is the sun. While we might all shine, when the sun comes up, we all disappear. That’s the mantra this year: team first, team last, team everything. We will be physical, we will be aggressive, we will be a dominant football team," Umenyiora said.

Speaking at the team's annual Kickoff Luncheon, Osi wasn't quite finished.

"I would like to take this opportunity to personally apologize for everything that went down last year towards the end of the season. That’s not the way we play, that’s not the way we are coached to play, and I can personally guarantee you that things like that will never happen again. If you ever look at an EKG machine when it’s hooked up to a human heart, you see it keeps going up and down and up and down, all that does is indicate that a person is alive. The minute it flat lines, that means they’re dead. This team is very much alive, and though last year was a down, this year we will be back up again.''

Solving riddles is hardly a specialty of mine, but I think Umenyiora was really sending a message to his teammates. Basically, the message to his fellow Giants defenders is put aside your egos, your agendas, play to win games and don't repeat the embarrassment of 2009.

It's a pretty good message, actually.

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by Ed Valentine • Sep 1, 2010 10:42 PM EDT

Everything You Need To Know About September Baseball In NYC

If the baseball season were a horse race, today is the point in the season at which the track announcer would bellow "AND DOWN THE STRETCH THEY COME!"

It is, in case you hadn't noticed, Sept. 1. Yes, Sept. 1, even if it is a gazillion degrees in New York.

Checking the baseball pulse in the city, we know the New York Yankees are alive and well and that the Mets are, well, planning for 2011.

Just for grins I went to CoolStandings.com, a quirky little website I like that gives you a team's playoff chances, by percentage, every day.

As it stands today, the American League East-leading Yankees have a 98.2 percent shot at the playoffs, better than any team in the big leagues. The Mets? A 0.4 percent chance of somehow reaching the postseason.

Pretty much tells you everything you need to know about September baseball in New York City.

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by Ed Valentine • Sep 1, 2010 2:43 PM EDT

The Wednesday Quiz

The Mets are in the middle of a four-game series with the Braves, so here's a quiz about players who have played for both teams, along with other assorted Mets/Braves trivia. The answers will be posted tomorrow.

1. After the 1972 season, second baseman Felix Millan was traded to the Mets from the Braves with George Stone for which two pitchers?

2. Which Met pitcher was sold to the Braves right before the 1974 season, and then went on to lead the NL in ERA that year while pitching for Atlanta?

3. In game four of the 1999 NL LCS, which Met hit a single up the middle in the bottom of the eighth driving in the eventual game-winning runs off John Rocker?

4. Who was the winning pitcher for the Mets in game five of the 1999 NL LCS, which is more famously known as the Robin Ventura grand-slam single game?

5. The 1995 World Series-winning Braves' backup catcher spent three-and-a-half seasons with the Mets in the early '90s. Who was he?

For more Mets news and discussion, check out SB Nation's Amazin' Avenue.

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by Jeff Freier • Sep 1, 2010 10:58 AM EDT