Its like a season-long rain delay.

When MiLB President and CEO Pat O'Connor announced on Tuesday that the 2020 season is canceled, he was only making official what has been long anticipated.

What is especially disappointing for Melvin and me is we hoped this would be the year when we could say, however briefly, "We have seen every stadium and team in affiliated baseball."

It is the 20th year of our endeavor (origin story) but a love of round numbers isn't what was motivating the final push. Shortly after the conclusion of the 2019 World Series, details began to leak about an MLB plan to eliminate 42 minor league teams, co-opt two independent league teams into affiliated baseball and reorganize the minor league structure.

In response, Melvin had by Christmas worked out a plan for us to visit all of the unseen teams-slash-stadiums (pick one or both) this year. The season started with a late-April weekend in Florida, followed two weeks later by the inaugural season of the Fred' Nats and a couple of odds-and-ends.

In mid-June, we would see the new stadiums in Wichita, Amarillo and Arlington and maybe revisit the Kansas City Royals and Oklahoma City, now a Dodgers' affiliate. A month later, Melvin had us visiting (once again) North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia. Finally, in August, the oft-postponed trip to Northern California and Nevada.

If the weather cooperated, we would be "done" until the Paw Sox moved 45 miles up Route 146 to Worcester, a trip that took six years. Then, the Coronavirus made its way from far away places (no worries. we were initially told) and six weeks later, the 2020 baseball season was postponed.

There are no Baseball Byways without minor league baseball. Even if the MLB eventually allows fans into stadiums at some point during its truncated season, Melvin and I are not flying to SFO to see the Giants and the A's. Our itinerary includes the Sacramento River Cats and Reno Aces, the San Jose Giants, Stockton Ports and Modesto Nuts.

By the time minor league baseball resumes, MLB will probably have completed its reorganization of affiliated baseball. Of the teams that we have not seen, the Rocky Mountain Vibes, Elizabethton Twins, Greeneville Reds and Kingsport Mets are on the so-called hit list and we may not get another chance.

Teams move or build new stadiums and Melvin and I have not seen every team or ballpark that we might have. I accept that loss but this feels different, like something was taken from us and other fans.