Surprise, Ariz. ? Right-hander Rudy Seanez knows he can’t afford to have a bad outing in spring training if he is to have any chance of making the Kansas City Royals this season.

The Royals have 36 pitchers in camp and Seanez, a nine-year veteran, is trying to earn a bullpen spot. But the team has no more than two bullpen vacancies, and one of those could go to a left-hander.

“I’m one of those long, long shots,” Seanez said. “I’ve been around long enough to know.”

Seanez, who retired all three batters he faced in an intrasquad game Tuesday, signed a minor-league contract with the Royals with an invitation to spring training just a few days before camp opened.

Seanez has faced long odds before.

“It was the same thing with the (Atlanta) Braves in 1998,” Seanez said. “They knew what they had in the bullpen. I pitched well and into the Braves’ bullpen and into a setup role.”

Seanez pitched for the Royals’ Class AAA Omaha club in 1997, going 2-5 with a 6.51 ERA in 28 appearances and was released after the season. The Braves picked him as a minor-league free agent and he had two of his best seasons with Atlanta, a 10-2 record with five saves in 90 relief appearances in 1998-99.

He was with four clubs last year, including going 0-1 with a 6.23 ERA with Boston. He also was with Red Sox, Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs minor-league teams last season.

Seanez, 35, realizes time is no longer on his side.

“There are no guarantees, no promises,” Seanez said. “I don’t even know if I’m on their insurance list. All I can do is pitch well enough to impress somebody.”