I've got a pitcher Vic Tovar who had a 300+ day injury last season. When the league rolled over, he still has 112 days left before healthy. He's entering the final year of arbitration. When I got to arbitration report, he's not on there. I would like the opportunity to sign him to a long term contract.

We are setting budgets today. After budgets are set and it's arbitration day, will I see him on my arbitration report? How will I negotiate a deal with him if he's injured? Can I even do that? Should I release him and try to negotiate with him while he's a free agent?

Submit a ticket-- dude should ABSOLUTELY be on your arb list right now. But while you're waiting-- my guess is that the bug has something to do with 40-man roster status, so I'd try putting him on the 60-day DL (doesn't put him on your 40, but it gives him a clear-cut roster status, and you have to do it anyway) and see if that makes him appear in your arb window.

I think releasing him is risky, but I'm not sure about that.

Send him to the minors while he rehabs. Then put him on IR. He won't have enough ML time in to hit free agency and you can negotiate next season.