Four teams aren’t represented among Sporting News’ Top 50 players for 2014, and perhaps the most surprising of those four is the Kansas City Royals.
SN had the Royals slotted as a playoff team in its preseason predictions; the fact there are several good but no star players in KC is just an example of the front office’s approach of building for success.
SN's Top 50 players: Complete list
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers not only have four players in the top 50 but also two in the top 10, as do the Seattle Mariners.
The top 50 breakdown by team:
Four players: Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals
Three players: Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers
Two players: Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, Colorado Rockies, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants, Tampa Bay Rays, Washington Nationals
One player: Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, Oakland A’s, Pittsburgh Pirates, Toronto Blue Jays
No players: Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros, San Diego Padres