What it was like
The Atlanta Braves visit Petco Park on June 22 carrying one of baseball's most distinguished recent records — a consistent postseason presence, the deepest pitching rotation in the National League, and a lineup capable of scoring from any position. A Braves series at Petco in late June is a legitimate mid-season stress test: this is not a series the Padres can coast through, and the home crowd knows it. Petco Park in late June is the ballpark at its summer peak — the marine layer a distant memory, the bay shimmering beyond right field, and the stadium full of people who understand they are watching one of the better offensive clubs in baseball come into one of the better defensive parks. Padres vs Braves in June is the National League East and West sorting out where they stand. Three games at Petco will provide a clear answer.