Ozzie Guillen suspended five games for Fidel Castro comments

Ozzie Guillen has been suspended for five games by the Miami Marlins for his comments about Fidel Castro.

Guillen told Time magazine in a story that ran last week that he loved the Cuban dictator and respected him for staying in power as long as he has.

The manager, in his first year in Miami, has since apologized through reporters and was scheduled to make a public apology at Marlins Park on Tuesday.

A news conference was still scheduled at the ballpark for Tuesday 7:30 a.m. PDT.

The suspension will take place immediately.

Guillen says his remarks about the Cuban dictator have caused him to lose sleep and he wants to make amends. He left the team, which has an off day in Philadelphia, to fly back to Miami for Tuesday’s press conference.

“Anybody who wants to be there, feel free,” said Guillen, who says he has offered several personal apologies to individuals as well. “I don’t want to make a statement because I think when you make a statement it’s a bunch of crap. I want people to look at my eyes and look at my face and see what’s going on, tell what the deal was, and that’s it.”

He added: “I feel very guilty about it and very bad and sad and very embarrassed.”

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