Being the fan of a winning sports team is a double-edged sword.

On one hand, you love the attention your team receives nationally. You get to see your team's highlights on Sportscenter, your favorite players are on the covers of magazines, and, as we explored yesterday, generally you get a boost of self esteem.

On the other hand, all of those extra interviews you normally wouldn't have yield answers you don't want to hear.

Two players that have played enormous roles in the Brewers march to October have been Prince Fielder and Francisco Rodriguez. While no Brewers fan should be surprised that neither one plans to be back in Milwaukee next year, the fact that they are talking openly about their imminent departures in the heat of the pennant race is unnerving at best.

First, Rodriguez told CBSSports.com that he was unhappy in his role as John Axford's setup man. "They told me I'd have the opportunity to close some games, and we've had 20-some save opportunities since then and I haven't even had one," Rodriguez said Tuesday. "I'm a little disappointed in that, but that's something that's out of my hands."

Yesterday, he told the AP's Colin Fly that if there was anyone who misinterpreted his comments and thought that in reality he is accepting of the situation and will happily do whatever it takes to win, um, no. He's furious.

"I'm not happy. That's the bottom line for me," Rodriguez said. "They told me one thing; they haven't done it, and I stand by what I said.

"Don't tell me something you're not going to do," Rodriguez continued. "That's what irritates me most. They told me they were going to do something, and they didn't. Simple as that. I'm pretty much trying to come in every day, ready to pitch, and get my job done when they needed me, but at the same time, I had an expectation like every other player. They told me they were going to do something, and they didn't."

The fact that Rodriguez isn't happy should not come as a shock to Brewers fans. He is an All-Star caliber closer that we barely know. He came up through the Angels system and already signed one big-money free agent contract with the Mets. His next employer will pay him based on the expectation that he is a closer. It is not hard to understand that he would like to maximize his value in the same way CC Sabathia did during his brief stint here in Milwaukee. Also like Sabathia, the moment the Rodriguez trade was announced, everyone in baseball knew that K-Rod was a rent-a-player.

But Rodriguez's comments still weren't exactly what Brewers fans needed to hear as they have seen their lead in the division shrink day after day as October approaches.

As if Rodriguez's comments weren't bad enough, the one player that Brewers fans have been dreading losing for the better part of four years, Prince Fielder, rains on everyone's parade by confirming to broadcaster Brian Anderson (in his role as a TBS national broadcaster) that after the final out of the season, despite his legions of fans, winning team and close friends here in Milwaukee, he's outta here. Finished. Gone. Dunzo.

That one slight glimmer of hope that Fielder may have a change of heart that so many of the three million-plus that poured through the turnstiles at Miller Park clung to – evaporated in one interview.

"I'm signed for this year, but being real about it, it is probably the last year," Fielder told Anderson in comments that will air Sunday during the TBS national game of the week.

But what about playing alongside Butch Cassidy to his Sundance Kid, fellow MVP candidate Ryan Braun? "It's been great; unfortunately, this is probably the last year of the one-two punch... But I think it's been good, (five) years, him and me. Hopefully, we can go out with a blast."

What? Hopefully we can go out with a blast?

Brewers fans don't want to hear this. All Brewers fans want to hear about is how the offense needs to get jump-started and how he can't wait to get back to the postseason with the organization that he grew up and became a man with. No one wants to hear how he hopes that he and Braun can "go out with a blast."

Realistically, however, Fielder was just being honest. We have all known for some time that he wanted to test the free agent waters. Prince has been given every opportunity to say anything at all to the contrary and has chosen not to do so. Even after winning the All Star Game MVP in Phoenix this summer, Fielder deflected the mere possibility of remaining in baseball's smallest market.

"Last year, I had no choice but to come back because I had one more year, and it was emotional then in my last at-bat in Milwaukee," Fielder said in his postgame news conference at Chase Field. "So it will probably be a little more emotional, but hopefully I don't have to think about that until I'm holding the World Series trophy."

That was in July. The Brewers were in first place, but they were tied with St. Louis and Pittsburgh was only one game behind. The World Series was just about the last thing on Brewers' fans minds, even though so many had pinned all of their hopes on this make-it-or-break type of season.

As an aside, there will always be a faction of Brewers fans who never wanted it to come to this. Why couldn't they just jettison Fielder and get something for him in return – even prospects? The answer is because that would have been foolish.

One need not look any further than the collection of castoffs the Minnesota Twins received for two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana. The centerpiece of the trade was now-Brewers backup centerfielder Carlos Gomez, a player who has never hit higher than .260 for a season even once in his career. The most useful player Minnesota got back was Phillip Humber, who this season is 9-8 with a very respectable 3.43 ERA, but he's with the White Sox now, after the Royals gave up on him right after the Twins did.

That trade, while "getting something back" in return, blew up in Minnesota's face. The same market that gave the Twins back essentially nothing for a two-time Cy Young Award winner would have given back mid to low-level prospects back for a burly home run hitter who most believe will hang up his glove for good after this season is over.

Expect the Brewers to make a similar offer to Fielder that they did for Sabathia after his time in Milwaukee led him to free agency, and then ultimately New York. A courtesy call or two will be made to agent Scott Boras, but don't expect Fielder to do what Jered Weaver did and give his current team a hometown discount. Weaver, scheduled to be a free agent at the end of 2012, signed a 5-year, $85 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels, believed to be well under market value. He, like Fielder, is a Boras client. However, his desire was to remain in Southern California, where he grew up.

At the end of last season, Fielder had a feeling that his time in Milwaukee was over. Fans gave him a standing ovation in his final 2010 at-bat at Miller Park; only to be told that with the additions of Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum, they were going for broke in 2011. Add Rodriguez to the mix at midseason, and all of baseball stood up and took notice to what Doug Melvin and Mark Attanasio's intentions were. Their chips are in the middle of the table. They are all-in.

Now the question pops up: Are the players – all of them – "all in?"

As Brewers Nation stands on the precipice of history but still with just a little bit of work to do to get to the finish line, is it too much to ask that the guys who don't plan on being here much longer to just be quiet for just a few more weeks?

Is this too much to ask from a fan base that has been loyal, supportive, and cheered Prince Fielder's every move to reward that loyalty just until the end of the season? Is it too much to ask that he focus on baseball for just a few more weeks before the movers come to pack up his house in the suburbs and take him away for good?

To both Prince and K-Rod: Milwaukee loves you. Most even understand the reality of your situations. Fans understand, believe it or not, that there are greener pastures that you want to explore. They understand that you have earned your free agency and that baseball is a business.

But on behalf of Wisconsin, shut up already!