MILWAUKEE — There were plenty of questions for Milwaukee Brewers coaches and players Sunday during the team's annual fan fest but no doubt the biggest had to do with one of the biggest players -- both physically and metaphorically -- in team history.
Prince Fielder's seven-year run in Milwaukee officially came to an end last week when he signed a nine-year, $214 million contract with the Detroit Tigers.
To say his presence will be missed is quite the understatement.
"Losing Prince, it's big," right-hander Yovani Gallardo said. "We all know what he did for us while he was here."
Nobody faulted Fielder for leaving Milwaukee for a big payday in Detroit. Baseball, after all, is a business as much as a game. Players work their way up the ladder in order to get to free agency.
"It's part of the game. There's turnover in this game," said second baseman Rickie Weeks, one of Fielder's closest friends dating back to their childhood in Central Florida. "You've got to do your part to stay in there, stay in shape and try to get up there with the young guys coming up. Free agents leave, but it's the nature of the game that you've got to keep plugging along. No excuses."
General manager Doug Melvin and owner Mark Attanasio have no hard feelings, either. Both understand that it's a business decision and both wished Fielder well in Detroit. Attanasio said he plans to speak to Fielder soon but in the meantime, sent a congratulatory text message.
"As he grew and progressed as a player, so did we as a team and a franchise," Attanasio said. "Prince Fielder will always be a part of the Brewers family."
During Fielder's free agency, Melvin had been fairly tight-lipped about the process, especially from the Brewers' end of negotiations. It is widely believed that the team had offered a contract of five or six years and between $100 and $120 million.
Melvin still won't offer specifics, but was slightly more candid about the Brewers' chances of retaining Fielder's services.
"Once I knew he was looking for $200 million, that wasn't going to work here," Melvin said. "I wish Prince the best. There are no hard feelings at all."
What Melvin has done to replace Fielder's production has earned the praise of his players. The Brewers signed former Cubs slugger Aramis Ramirez to play third base and fill Fielder's spot in the lineup. Mat Gamel will get his chance to play every day and the team is hoping his minor league offensive numbers translate to big league success with a full-time opportunity.
"He's one of the scariest left-handed bats in the league, so you're going to lose a huge piece there," outfielder Nyjer Morgan said. "But I think Doug and (assistant GM Gord Ash) did an excellent job trying to fill that spot in with 'Rami'."
Filling Fielder's leadership role may prove to be a bigger challenge. Many players named Weeks as someone with the ability to step into that position, saying he has quietly led by example the past few seasons.
Weeks heads into the season as the longest-tenured member on the active roster, having made his debut in September 2003.
"I haven't really thought about it too much," he said. "When things have to be said, I'm going to say something. I'm not going to be vocal, in the media or anything like that. I do my stuff behind closed doors. I'm a big believer in if you lead by example, guys will follow."
Fielder's absence will be felt both in the clubhouse and on the field, but the fact that he landed in Detroit, and not with say, the Chicago Cubs or another National League team, helps soften the blow.
"I'm just glad both Prince and Albert Pujols are in the American League now," Melvin joked.
Follow Andrew Wagner on Twitter @ByAndrewWagner.
