If Prince Fielder was available for a short-term deal, the Cubs might be included to enter the bidding. However, agent Scott Boras says Fielder is a "franchise" player and deserves to be treated as such with a long-term deal. "I've had people come out (and say) 'Oh, you ought to do a three-year deal,'" Boras said. "Well, that doesn't fit anybody's purposes in doing these things. The length of a contract has a lot to do with an understanding from both sides about what franchise players are and what they mean, the branding part, the whole media rights part. ... All those things go into it. "That initial concept is 'the shorter the better.' But The reality of it is, in these types of players, it's usually is not the best dynamic for the franchise. ... The great thing about young free agents is the probability of performance at optimal levels is so high for the majority of the years of the contract."