Ozzie Guillen to lead Marlins into new era

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Ozzie Guillen will be the next manager of the Florida Marlins, the team is expected to announce at a 10 a.m. PDT news conference Wednesday.

‘Very excited about today little nervous but hppy at hell,’ Guillen tweeted Wednesday morning.

The official announcement precedes the team’s season finale against the Washington Nationals. After that, the next time we see the Marlins, they will have more than just a new manager -- they will have a new ballpark and a new identity, the Miami Marlins.

“All the pieces are coming together,” Marlins slugger Mike Stanton said. “We got the stadium, and we got the manager.”

Florida Manager Jack McKeon announced Monday that he would retire at the end of the season. On the same day, Guillen made an announcement of his own -- that he was leaving the Chicago White Sox, a team he had managed for the last eight seasons and led to the 2005 World Series championship.

Guillen broke the news about the Marlins job on his blog Monday, but the post was quickly removed. After Monday’s game, the White Sox announced Guillen was released from the remainder of his contract, which had a year remaining.

On Tuesday Guillen wrote on Twitter: ‘Weird to be in miami in this time but very happy ready to go.’

The move to Miami will put Guillen closer to his native Venezuela. He will also be rejoining a team that won the 2003 World Series with him as third base coach.

Chicago will receive Marlins prospects Jhan Marinez and Ozzie Martinez as compensation, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

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-- Chuck Schilken

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

(ALLENTOWN / Groller)