Danny Worth has his work cut out for him in 2011, as he will compete with a few others for a middle infield spot (AP Photo).

Danny Worth has paid his dues in the minor leagues and made his Major League debut in 2010 with the Tigers. The California native racked up 106 at bats during the absence of Carlos Guillen, the release of Adam Everett and the lack of an everyday second baseman last season.

Worth hit .255 in the majors and has a lifetime .251 average in the minors, numbers that take a backseat to his defensive play. Being known more as a gem in the field rather than at the plate, Worth has combined for a .972 fielding percentage in his professional career at shortstop, second and third bases.

I had the chance to ask Danny a few questions about his youth, his relationship with his teammates and his aspirations for the Spring. Here they are.

1. You were born and raised in California, what teams did you watch, or were you a fan of growing up?

DW: I was always a Dodger fan. Anyone who is an Angels fan in LA jumped on the bandwagon in ’02.

2. Who did you idolize in the game of baseball growing up?

DW: My favorite player to watch was probably Gagne in his prime. Watching him electrify Dodger Stadium in high school was the reason I went to the games.

3. What experiences or skills you learned at Pepperdine prepared you the most for the next level of baseball?

DW: Growing up in a college atmosphere really helped me become ready to play in the minors. College gives you a couple years to get your goals and priorities in order and when I was done I was ready to tackle them.

4. Now, after spending four seasons in the minor leagues, what was it like to come up to the big leagues for those 106 at bats last season?

DW: It was something I will remember for the rest of my life. It was a dream come true to play in the big leagues. It’s a very satisfying feeling, to accomplish a goal I had my whole life. I started to realize how many people were apart of my dream, from my parents and family who sacrificed a lot for me to get there, to my coaches and friends I had growing up. It was a very special time

5. What is your relationship with other guys who play your position (Will Rhymes, Scott Sizemore, Cale Iorg, etc)? How has the competition for a MLB spot made you a better player?

DW: The players that play the same position are all friends of mine. I have lived with some of them during minor league seasons in the past. I always thought other players would be very competitive with each other, but that’s not the case at all. I think most of the other guys have the same mind set that I do, and that is we want the Tigers to win whether we are on the team or not. After playing in Detroit for some of the season, I would love for the fans to be apart of a Championship. They deserve it.

6. What are you trying to prove to Dave Dombrowski and Jim Leyland this Spring?

DW: I’m first and foremost trying to stay healthy. Just being able to put a uniform on and play is a blessing. I’m trying to prove to them that I am constantly getting better.

7. Do you want to be known as a second basemen or shortstop?

DW: I enjoy playing SS more because I love throwing across the diamond, especially deep from the hole. But I also like turning double plays at 2B. I think thats the most fun thing to do in the infield.

8. Do you want to be known as a defensive specialist or a contact hitter?

DW: Every year I want to improve every part of my game. I have always put a lot of time practicing my defense, probably because my dad always stressed that pitching and defense wins championships, but I envy the SS’s that can just flat out mash.