Ozzie Guillen fired as Marlins manager after one season

• He went 69-93 in Miami after eight seasons with the White Sox
• Marlins still owe him $7.5 million over three years
• Move follows recent trade of reliever Heath Bell to Arizona

Ozzie Guillen's dream job came to an end Tuesday when the Miami Marlins fired him as manager after one season.

Guillen, 48, had three years and $7.5 million remaining on his contract.

"After careful consideration following the disappointment of the 2012 season, we decided to dismiss Ozzie," Marlins president Larry Beinfest said in a statement. "Our hope is that a new manager, along with roster improvements, will restore a winning culture."

The Marlins entered 2012 expecting to contend for a World Series title. In addition to opening a new stadium, they added Guillen and spent $191 million on free agents Jose Reyes, Mark Buerhle and Heath Bell.

"It's a surprise," said Omar Infante, the Detroit Tigers second baseman who was traded from the Marlins in July. "It's sad for Ozzie. Guillen's a good manager. But we didn't win a lot of games and then they made the decision to trade a lot of guys."

The team was a flop almost from the first pitch of the season and finished last in the NL East with a 69-93 record. Along the way, Guillen ran into one controversy after another.

The season was barely a week old when he drew the ire of many locals by saying in a Time magazine article: "I love Fidel Castro. ... I respect Fidel Castro. You know why? A lot of people have wanted to kill Fidel Castro for the last 60 years, but (he) is still here."

The Venezuelan-born Guillen, who has lived in the Miami area for the last 12 years, apologized for the comments and tried to clarify them before finally being suspended for five games by the Marlins.

He also sparred with opponents -- calling rookie sensation Bryce Harper "unprofessional" -- and his players, with reliever Heath Bell saying in September that the Marlins needed a manager "that everybody respects and looks up to."

Like Guillen, Bell was also cut loose recently, traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday with the Marlins agreeing to pay $8 million remaining on his contract.

The Marlins traded for Guillen from the Chicago White Sox at the end of last season for minor leaguers Jhan Mariñez and Osvaldo Martínez. Guillen had a 678-617 record in eight seasons on the South Side, winning a World Series in 2005.