Brewers' GM says "Prince Fielder will not be coming back"

MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee Brewers General Manager Doug Melvin mentioned in a news conference Wednesday morning that it's unlikely first baseman Prince Fielder will be back with the team.

The comment came during the announcement of Aramis Ramirez being signed by the Brewers for a three-year, $36 million deal.

Melvin said in the news conference, "it appears, that obviously Prince Field will probably not be coming back at this time. So we had to move forward."

Those words virtually shattered any hope Brewers fans had of keeping Fielder.

"Looked forward to seeing him play, loved to watch him play. Wish him the best. I think disappointed but we understand. That's the economics of baseball," said Brewers fan Ryan Berenz.

"It's clear that there was no budget for him to stay," said David Lerman.

Now the biggest concern among Brewers fans is where Fielder will end up. Most would agree, the worst-case scenario is Fielder signing on with the Chicago Cubs.

During the same news conference, Melvin was asked about Ryan Braun and the allegations that he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs during the playoffs. "There's a lot of uncertainty, but we're moving forward as, him being a part of our ballclub," said Melvin.