In the latest Harry Frazee imitation by owner Jeffrey Loria the Marlins seem to have been reduced from being a contender in the National League East Division to being a contender for the title of nation’s best AA team. I would say AAA, but that would be an insult to the Houston Astros, who were reduced to that level last season, but at least were attempting to win. (more…)

April 14, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria before a game against the Houston Astros at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

They’re dumping salary down in Miami again. This, alas, is not a surprise. After the latest blockbuster deal that’s left the Marlins roster a shell of its former self, many fans are angry. They’re calling for owner Jeffrey Loria to sell the team, for commissioner Bud Selig to force him out of the sport. The fans feel betrayed, victims of the old bait and switch, and they’re struggling to understand what compels them to continue with their support of the professional baseball, why they continue to line the pockets of the fat cat Loria. The fans are confused, disenchanted, experiencing crises. They feel cold and alone and are struggling to find meaning in the darkness. They are, one could theorize, exactly where Jeffrey Loria wants them.

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The #marlins have fired Ozzie Guillen

— clarkspencer (@clarkspencer) October 23, 2012

Guillen got two thumbs down from the brass in Miami and was fired on Tuesday. Image: Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

Guillen came under fire early and often during his short tenure as Marlins’ skipper. The Fish suspended Guillen for his comments in praise of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro early in the season and as the losses mounted, several players became less than enamored with Guillen’s loudmouth act. As the season drew to a close, Guillen fired some verbal shots at Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria, suggesting it was Loria that had caused problems with previous managers.

As should be expected, Loria was none too pleased. It seems once away from the protection offered by his relationship with White Sox ownership, Guillen wasn’t going to get away with his antics any longer. A public spat with now-former Marlin Heath Bell certainly paved Bell’s way out of town, but it may have sealed Guillen’s fate as well.

The Marlins were one of the sport’s most disappointing teams in 2012; the first year in a brand-new ballpark. They spent the past off-season bidding on most every major free agent available and managed to land a couple of marquee names, but by mid-season they had traded away Hanley Ramirez, Anibal Sanchez, and Omar Infante, among others. Now, with word coming down that the Fish will once again slash payroll, it looks like despite the new uniforms and new stadium, this is the same old miserly Marlins, complete with near-empty attendance figures.

Guillen may not be suited for a major league manager’s job, not with the losing climate and all the turmoil that followed him through his final years in Chicago and his first season in Miami.

While Loria is no doubt a difficult boss to work for, he’s the guy who signs the checks and his is one of only 30 major league teams. So, while the marlins job may be pretty low on the list of desirable managerial jobs, it’s still a job that will have no shortage of interested candidates.

Whomever is the next Marlins manager, however, you can bet it’s only a matter of time before Loria runs them out of town as well.

Feb 2, 2012; Jupiter, FL, USA; Miami Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen (right) talks with Marlins owner Jeffrey H. Loria (left) during spring training at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

Miami Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen has always been a source of volatile and unpredictable comments. He often runs off at the mouth without regard, with no subject off limits or so absurd that it does not get the Guillen treatment that lies somewhere between utter genius and totally bonkers. His Twitter feed is often so chaotic, that followers often question its authenticity.

So it comes as no surprise to anyone that Guillen would cross swords with the one man that is questionably more volatile than himself; his boss, Jeffery Loria.

During an interview last week, Guillen was asked about the performance of the Marlins and how that may affect his job status at the end of the season. To that question, he offered the following answer:

“When you are in last place you need a better manager, better general manager, better owner, a better everything when you are a last-place team because we all failed.”

Now, that walks that walks the line between safety and suicide by calling out the ownership to the media, but it is a valid point. Given the high expectations on the team after their winter spending spree on the likes of Heath Bell, Jose Reyes, and Mark Buehrle, there was obviously a major disconnect somewhere that lead to the disappointment that was the 2012 season in Miami. Failure of that magnitude is felt throughout an organization and no one person is to blame for that. You could almost see Loria accepting that argument and taking that comment in stride.

However, Guillen’s golden tongue did not stop flapping there. When prompted about his own job status, Guillen expounded on his initial comment.

“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.”

This is obviously where the fail safe in Guillen’s head was disregarded and he made a mistake that will likely cost him his job. Loria already enjoys a tenuous relationship with his managers, but to insinuate that the cause for that rift lies in the hands of the owner himself is enough to guarantee that the Marlins will have a new manager at the beginning of next season.

Of course, it is hard to fault Guillen for making such a comment. After all, he is absolutely right, both about Loria’s propensity for making change and for the problem being organization wide. It is all about team philosophy.

It is a matter of simple chemistry.

The Marlins have not been able to meet expectations over the years not because of talent. It is because of turn-over. You cannot build a strong team without first giving them the chance to gel as a cohesive unit. Constantly changing the pieces on the board and who guides them is a sure way to lose focus on what each pieces strengths are, and how they play to a winning strategy for the whole. Managers and players alike need to know that they are on the same page. If the only consistency is that you are constantly shaking hands and introducing yourself to the new components at the helm and on the field, you begin to realize that the only common component in that equation is you and the philosophy of a team gets thrown out the window.

George Steinbrenner tried a similar philosophy with the Yankees during the 1980′s and failed. It was not until he took a step back in the 1990′s and let the front office make decisions to build a core that the team truly succeeded.

Loria is astute enough to see that lesson. Whether he can put his ego aside, look into Guillen’s proverbial mirror and learn from such a lesson is another story.