In his first full season of Major League Baseball, Oliver Perez established himself as a soaring star. He was fourth in the National League with 239 strikeouts, sixth with a 2.98 earned run average and second only to Randy Johnson in holding opposing batters to a .212 average.

Not a bad resume builder for any pitcher, much less one who is 23.

But it will not be enough to bring a long-term contract offer from the Pirates this offseason, even though Perez will be eligible for salary arbitration after the 2005 season and could have his pay multiply exponentially.

"Certainly not at this point," general manager Dave Littlefield said when asked if he might approach Perez about an extension. "I don't anticipate doing that anytime soon."

Asked if that meant that the Pirates will use next season to further evaluate Perez before making a long-term commitment, Littlefield replied, "That's right."

Littlefield acknowledged that the approach is risky.

Perez made $321,000 last year, not much above the major-league minimum of $300,000. For one more year, because of Perez's limited service time in the majors, the Pirates have the right to pay him any figure they wish. Most players with similar service time receive modest raises of $5,000 or so. If the Pirates offer Perez something in that range -- major-league minimum for 2005 is $316,000 -- he has no choice but to accept.

But Perez would gain plenty of leverage after the season, should he do well again.

If he were to take the team to arbitration, the panel could award him a contract based on the market value for a pitcher of his caliber. And, in a market where Kris Benson, Matt Clement and Eric Milton are getting $7 million salaries, that figure could prove to be imposing for the low-spending Pirates. Even if Perez prefers to negotiate rather than pursue arbitration, he would have the hammer of arbitration to hold over the Pirates.

The Pirates might benefit significantly by dealing with Perez now, by locking him up for all three of his arbitration-eligible years and adding certainty for their payroll through 2008. But they also might lose big, of course, if Perez were to regress or have a major injury.

The latter, Littlefield said, is his concern.

"There is a thing that people don't fully comprehend," he said. "Cost certainty is a sexy term in the industry right now. If you hit on the right guy, the savings are guaranteed. But we have to consider that a small-market team can't afford to make mistakes. We have to balance everything."

Littlefield made clear that he would prefer to be sure that Perez can put together consecutive seasons like the most recent. In 2003, mostly with the San Diego Padres, Perez was 4-10 with a 5.47 ERA, 141 strikeouts and an unsightly 77 walks in 126 2/3 innings. His control improved significantly last season, with 81 walks in 196 innings.

"We have a very good feeling about what Oliver has done. We're cognizant of that, and we think he's a guy who's going to be with us a long time," Littlefield said. "But, if you look at his career, he's been inconsistent. He did have a good year in 2004, but that's going to be just a part of our figuring out what to do with Oliver Perez."

Keeping Perez in Pittsburgh beyond his arbitration years -- when he becomes eligible for free agency -- figures to be a far greater challenge. Perez is represented by Scott Boras, baseball's most prominent agent whose 65 players include many of the game's elite.

Boras was out of the country last week and unavailable for comment. A representative in Boras' agency who works with Perez said that he was not aware of any communication between the Pirates and the agency regarding Perez.

Small ball

Kip Wells, who had surgery on the middle finger of his pitching hand after last season, has been throwing near his home in Houston and has told management that he will participate in the team's voluntary minicamp, Jan. 12-16 in Bradenton, Fla. "He's doing fine," Littlefield said. "It's pointing to a healthy year for Kip."

Of the four members of the 40-man roster playing winter ball, none has impressed Littlefield more than second baseman Jose Castillo. His .363 batting average and .582 slugging percentage each ranks second in the Venezuelan League. In 51 games, he has 11 doubles, three triples, nine home runs and 33 RBIs. He has 11 errors, too, but has spent time at third base and the outfield. "It's a positive he's putting up the numbers he has," Littlefield said. "He's a player that will improve. He has the talent." The Pirates have no plan to move Castillo from second base.

Management is uncertain at this point who will start in center field. It could be incumbent Tike Redman. Or Jason Bay could move from left, should the Pirates choose to have Matt Lawton in left and keep Craig Wilson in right. Or Littlefield could acquire another player via free agency. He still is seeking additional offense and a pitcher to add to the starting mix, through free agency or a trade. Most likely, though, the center field job will be decided in spring training. The Pirates are confident that Bay can play center, but left field at PNC Park is more challenging than most, and Bay, who handles it well, might be just as valuable there.

Bay is not eligible for arbitration until 2007. He made $305,000 last season.

First baseman Daryle Ward's one-year, $950,000 contract is not guaranteed. The Pirates can terminate the deal and pay him a quarter of that figure if he fails to impress in spring training. The same likely will be true of any one-year contracts signed by arbitration-eligible players.

Forty-six days remain until pitchers and catchers report.