Surprise, Ariz. ? Gil Meche knows his contract raised some eyebrows. He can’t do anything about that.

All the right-hander can do is show up for work and try to prove he deserves to be the highest-paid pitcher in Kansas City Royals history.

Meche signed a five-year, $55 million deal in December. That’s ace money for a pitcher who is 55-44 for his career and whose 84 walks last season ranked third in the American League.

“People have their own opinions,” said Meche, who was 11-8 with a 4.48 earned-run average for Seattle in 2006. “I’m fortunate to get what I’ve got. It is just one of those things where you want to go out there and basically repay the team, giving them everything you’ve got as far as effort throughout the season and a five-year deal.”

What about showing up the people who said the Royals are paying too much for his arm?

“It is not so much to prove everybody wrong,” Meche said. “It is more of a fact that I’m going to come here and help this team win, be as consistent as I can from start to start, not try to do too much. Just staying healthy is the biggest key.”

Royals designated hitter Mike Sweeney is in the final year of a five-year, $55 million contract, but Meche said they have not discussed the pressures that come with a huge paycheck.

“It is not so much about what I’m going to have to do, because I’ve got a contract of this size,” Meche said. “It is a matter of being a starter in the big leagues, doing your job and helping your team win and keeping games close when it is your day to pitch – and as a starter, make sure you’re out there every fifth day.

“If you do all those things throughout the year, it is going to play out, and hopefully by the end of the year you’ve got a good amount of innings.”

Meche threw a 10-minute bullpen session Saturday, the first official day of the Royals’ camp. He has been at the Royals’ spring training complex since Feb. 10 and had thrown three prior bullpen sessions.

“I got here a week early to get to know some of the guys, which is good for me instead of jumping in here the first day and not knowing anybody, which would have been weird,” Meche said. “I wanted to mix in with the guys who have been around for a while.”

Meche is expected to improve a pitching staff that had a majors-worst 5.65 ERA in 2006.

“I expect him to do well,” manager Buddy Bell said. “I just want him to be Gil Meche. He is going to put enough pressure on himself. If he just goes out there and does his best every start, if he does that he is going to be fine.

“We don’t expect him to go 30-0. It is not going to happen,” Bell said. “He is just another member of the 25.”

And that $55 million deal?

“I don’t pay any attention to it and I hope he doesn’t either,” Bell said. “Just knowing him a little bit, I know he cares about his job. I know he is sensitive about his job. Sometimes you put a little more extra pressure on yourself than you should.”