Skipper Daryl Mitchell says there is no additional pressure on Worcestershire because of their 'favourites' tag for promotion next season.
The County for once find themselves amongst the sides expected to challenge strongly for a place in Division One of the County Championship.
But Mitchell said the squad always have their own high expectations of performing well every year to deal with – irrespective of the odds of the bookmakers.
The 32-year-old said: "Since I've been at the club, we've been relegated five times and then been at the bottom end of the bookies thoughts for going back up.
"We've gone up against the odds a little bit.
"This time, with the performances we have put in, with the way the young players have performed last year and over the last two seasons, we are up there amongst the favourites.
"It means people expect a little bit more of us, which adds a slightly different pressure.
"But to be honest the pressure is not that much different for us because we always expect to perform well.
"One of our targets has been promotion whenever we've been in Division Two so that will be no different this year."