It’s easy to find something to do in downtown Chicago. In the summer cultural events, compete with world class museums and historic sites to attract the attention of out of town visitors. But as my grandmother often said, “all the world can’t be London and Paris.” Travelers often find themselves a little farther off the beaten path. If you find yourself as a visitor to a less metropolitan setting by choice or chance I recommend checking out some minor league baseball.

There is minor league baseball around Chicago, but with 240 minor league teams spread from Maine to Oaxaca it is very possible that there is a team where ever it is you are going. Here in the Chicago-land–area we have the Kane County Cougars, the Lake County Fielders, the Windy City Thunderbolts, and the Schaumburg Flyers. There are a total of 11 franchises currently operating in Illinois.

Right now the Cubs and White Sox may be wrestling with futility and mediocrity respectively, but the Kane County Cougars are in first place. When I brought this up to their director of PR Shawn Touney joked, “I hope that’s still accurate when (this article) runs.” He then went on to say “It’s been a very competitive season. We have some good prospects this year.”

The level of play and facilities of these minor league teams vary wildly. From stadiums that hold less than 2,000 people to venues that hold more than 10,000 with fireworks shows and future stars on their rosters. This variety makes each experience a little more tied to the place the game is played. It gives the game a different feel in different places.

The stadiums and salaries and ticket prices are all smaller in the minor leagues. This means fans are closer to the ...