The Miami Marlins have suspended manager Ozzie Guillen for five games for his comments in praise of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro in an interview with Time magazine last week.

Although Guillen apologized for the comments it did not abate the anger in Miami’s Cuban exile community and no doubt it played a key role in the Marlins making this move.

The suspension takes effect immediately and bench coach Joey Cora will take over as interim manger in Guillen’s absence. The Marlins are presently in Philadelphia and will return to Miami to host a three games series against the Houston Astros.

Guillen’s best bet would be to reach out (through the Marlins) to leaders in the Cuban exile community and to someone like Senator Marco Rubio. It would give them an opportunity to give Guillen a true understanding of life in Cuba under Castro and for Guillen to make a genuine mea culpa. If they can impress upon him that Castro=Chavez then I think Guillen gets it. Guillen, a native of Venezuela, has been critical of Hugo Chavez in recent years. I think that would be the best possible resolution of this matter.