Play Ball!

Major League Baseball returns on Thursday, although it's an extremely small slate with just four games. One of the games that figures to get the most attention from a betting standpoint is New York at Cincinnati. The Mets come into the contest on a nine-game winning streak, although all of those games were at Shea Stadium.

The Mets will send Johan Santana to the mound and the left-hander has done everything the Mets could have asked for except one. Win. The Mets are just 10-9 in games that Santana has started this season, although that has to do with lack of run support more than anything.

The Reds will counter with rookie Johnny Cueto, who has had an up-and-down freshman campaign. Cueto has shown flashes of brilliance at times and really struggled at others. That shouldn't be too unexpected for a 22-year old pitcher.

Today's free play is in the New York at Cincinnati game and can be found at Free Sports Betting Picks located in the Sports Gambling 101 section of the site.

Photo: Cincinnati's Johnny Cueto throws a pitch at Shea Stadium earlier this season. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)