Miami Marlins Fire Manager Ozzie Guillen After Failed Season

The Miami Marlins have fired manager Ozzie Guillen after just one season.

MLB's official Twitter account announced the news:

"

BREAKING: @marlins announce that they have dismissed manager Ozzie Guillen.

— MLB (@MLB) October 23, 2012"

The franchise had a historic offseason in which it changed its name, logo, uniform and home stadium. The team also hired Guillen and made a splash in free agency after signing shortstop Jose Reyes, starting pitcher Mark Buehrle and closer Heath Bell for a total of $191 million.

All of the changes and additions came with high expectations for the 2012 season, but the team woefully underperformed, failing to compete for a postseason birth and finishing last in the NL East.

Guillen was hired after leaving the Chicago White Sox, where he was unable to strike a deal with the team to extend his contract. The 48-year-old made his managerial debut with the White Sox in 2004 and won the World Series in 2005.  

Throughout his career, Guillen has built a reputation for being outspoken and controversial. This season, he was suspended for five games by the Marlins for making controversial statements supporting Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.

Guillen recently made more comments that have not sat well with Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria. The Miami manager said, “If Jeffrey doesn’t think I’m doing the job I should do … it’s not the first time he’s fired a manager. Look yourself in the mirror and ask why so many (bleeping) managers come through here,” via Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post.

Capozzi noted that Loria was angered because he felt  he was “called out” by Guillen, although the manager did not deny his own responsibility in the Marlins' disappointing season. The report also quotes Guillen saying, “Whoever works for the Marlins and denies that he should be fired is full of (expletive). My coaches, myself, the front office, my players, we’re all involved in this thing. We all failed.”

Ozzie is still owed $7.5 million over the next three years. However, with the combination of his inflammatory comments this season and Miami’s inability to win games under his leadership, the franchise had little motivation to give Guillen a chance to improve the team for next season.