BRADENTON, Fla. - When the Pittsburgh Pirates renewed the contracts of pitcher Oliver Perez and outfielder Jason Bay with relatively modest raises earlier this week, the decision didn't sit well with some of their veteran teammates.

All-Star shortstop Jack Wilson and pitcher Josh Fogg criticized management's decision not to give Perez and Bay better one-year offers.

Perez, who emerged as one of the top young left-handed pitchers in 2004, had his contract renewed at $381,000, a raise of $60,000. Bay, who became the Pirates' first Rookie of the Year winner, was renewed at $355,000, a raise of $50,000. Perez and Bay each were seeking deals worth about $450,000.

"With the years they had, they should have gotten bigger raises," Wilson said. "Even if they aren't arbitration eligible, they should have gotten them because of what they did for the team."

Perez, 23, won't be eligible for arbitration until after this season. He went 12-10 with a 2.98 ERA and ranked first among major-league starters in strikeouts per nine innings.

Bay, 27, won't be eligible for arbitration until after the 2006 season. He batted .282 with 26 homers and 82 RBI.

Fogg, the team's union representative, said both players are being underpaid, especially Bay. Fogg pointed out that the St. Louis Cardinals gave Albert Pujols a $600,000 contract after he was the NL Rookie of the Year.

"It's a little low," he said about Bay's salary. "Make that a lot low."

General manager Dave Littlefield defended the contracts. The Pirates have a pay scale for non-arbitration players based upon service time and performance.

Fogg said exceptions should have been made for both players.

"It's kind of sad," he said. "It makes you wonder what (the Pirates) are doing if this is how they treat their best pitcher and offensive player on the team last year."

Wilson said he could relate to the frustration Perez and Bay were feeling about their contract renewals. Wilson and the Pirates couldn't agree on a contract and went to arbitration after the 2003 season, the team's first arbitration case since 1993.

"Obviously, I wasn't very happy with the way (the team) dealt with me," Wilson said. "At the time, I was really upset, and it still lingers with me today. That's why I'm hoping it doesn't affect these guys."

Wilson won a $1.85 million judgment and used the arbitration hearing as motivation to improve his play. In 2004, Wilson made his first All-Star team, batted .308 with 201 hits, and was rewarded with a two-year, $8 million contract in January.

"It's unfortunate that two of our best players have to find out the harsh business of baseball so early in their career," Wilson said.