Marlins Manager Ozzie Guillen Suspended for Five Games

Coming into this year the Miami Marlins had a complete makeover -- new stadium, new logo, new team and new manager. But just five games into their season, angry fans are already lined up outside of Marlins Park asking for Ozzie Guillen -- their new manager -- to be fired.  

Guillen sparked controversy on Monday by allegedly telling Time magazine that he loves Fidel Castro (Cuban dictator) and respects the retired Cuban leader for staying in power so long despite being one of the most hated men in the world.

Moments after that news surfaced, many outraged fans caused uproar due to Guillen’s comments. Guillen, who was in Philadelphia in the middle of a road-trip with the team, apologized for his comments and even flew back to Southern Florida to address the issue publically.

But even before Guillen made it to his news conference, the Marlins organization announced that he would be suspended for five games. They released this statement about his suspension:

“The Marlins acknowledge the seriousness of the comments attributed to Guillen. The pain and suffering caused by Fidel Castro cannot be minimized, especially in a community filled with victims of the dictatorship.”

Would the outcome have been different if Ozzie was still managing in Chicago and not such a highly Cuban populated community like Miami?

Perhaps.

But we do have to remember that we’re talking about Ozzie Guillen here. When the Marlins hired Guillen, they knew what they were getting -- an outspoken manager, with the tendency to say some outrageous things, who has won a World Series.

So what’s the issue here?

“I'm sorry that I hurt a city, a country. I hurt the community. Without any intention that I did. Not only Cuban-Americans, but all the people in the United States and all of the Latin Americans,” said Guillen in his press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

“I feel like I've betrayed my Latin community. I'm here to say I'm sorry with my heart in my hands,” he added.

So once again I ask -- what’s the issue here?

Guillen is claiming that his comments were taken out of context, which I do believe they were. He says he was talking in Spanish during the interview and his comments were misinterpreted in translation – which as a bilingual (Spanish and English) individual, I know this happens a lot.

However, as aforementioned, Ozzie Guillen has always been straightforward and everyone knows it. In no way does that justify that what he says or believes is right, but it’s his honest opinion in which he has never had any problem sharing.

Asking for him to get fired is a bit absurd. It won’t happen -- in my opinion -- but as Ozzie said, it’s going to be a very bumpy ride from here on out.

“We believe in him,” said Marlins President David Samson. “We believe in his apology. We believe everybody deserves a second chance.”

So just like Boston was used to Manny being Manny … Miami, get used to Ozzie being Ozzie.

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