The cliché has been turned inside out.
Baseball players have gone from Meb Keflezighi to Usain Bolt. Their 26.2-mile run has become a 200-meter dash.
Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Not that anyone would.
“It’s gonna be a sprint,” Padres infielder Greg Garcia said.
“I don’t think it’s a secret the season is going to be a sprint,” manager Jayce Tingler said.
“A complete 180 of the mindset — from marathon to sprint,” catcher Austin Hedges said.
As much as any other facet of the game, the length of the season sets Major League Baseball apart.