Jose Abreu stakes claim to first base, not DH

Commitment from management pays off with improved defensive metrics, but less of a need for Adam LaRoche

With awards season on the horizon, SABR released its latest Defensive Index rankings on Friday. If you're unfamiliar with the Defensive Index, it accounts for 25 percent of the Gold Glove selection process by aggregating five kinds of defensive metrics.

As you might expect, there is nary a White Sox among the American League's top 25 defenders. Breaking it down by position, the Sox don't have any likely Gold Glove finalists, either. At best, they have a couple of respectable representatives (SDI and positon's leaders in parentheses):

If Tyler Saladino had enough playing time to qualify,…