The calendar says it began in 1969. It didn’t.
It took the Padres all of 50 years to grow out of pubescence into a true Major League Baseball franchise.
It took Manny Machado to push the organization away from the childrens’ table and into the drawing room for brandy and cigars.
The fuse had gone out. He re-lit it. It may not reach the explosive for a while, but it’s burning.
Welcome to the big leagues. There have been a few moments of success, but they were dust in the wind. This finally is their inning, their turn at bat.