Ozzie Guillen says the darnedest things on “The Franchise”

When you hire outspoken manager Ozzie Guillen, you already kind of know what to expect. But few could’ve expected that Guillen would end up suspended for five games the first week of the season with his new team. In the midst of the opening of the Miami Marlins’ new park, the team’s new name and look, came some unwelcome controversy. And Showtime probably couldn’t be happier. Showtime announced in the offseason that the Marlins would be filmed for Season 2 of The Franchise documentary series. We knew at that time that Guillen would make for some good TV, we just didn’t know it would be this good. Showtime will air a half-hour preview of The Franchise: A Season With the Miami Marlins on Saturday, April 21, at 9pm ET/PT (video preview above). The series will start its full run during the All-Star break on Wednesday, July 11.

Press release from MLB after the jump:

IT’S GAME TIME FOR SHOWTIME®!

SHOWTIME AND MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ANNOUNCE SPECIAL PREVIEW OF THE FRANCHISE: A SEASON WITH THE MIAMI MARLINS

Special Preview Episode of the Emmy®-nominated series airs Saturday, April 21 at 9 PM ET/PT on SHOWTIME

Series Premieres Wednesday, July 11 at 10 PM ET/PT

NEW YORK (April 13, 2012) – On the heels of an eventful start to the 2012 baseball season, SHOWTIME will air a special 30-minute preview episode of THE FRANCHISE:  A SEASON WITH THE MIAMI MARLINS featuring the new-look Miami Marlins, on Saturday, April 21 at 9 PM ET/PT.  The preview episode will give viewers a first look at season two of this Emmy-nominated series as camera crews captured the operations and activities of the team from Spring Training through the opening weeks of the season.  It will also feature exclusive all-access coverage of Marlins management and players both on and off-the-field, the pomp and circumstance of the opening of Marlins Park and the events surrounding the suspension of manager Ozzie Guillen.

The weekly series THE FRANCHISE: A SEASON WITH THE MIAMI MARLINS will premiere with a new one-hour episode on Wednesday, July 11 at 10 PM ET/PT.  Thirty-minute episodes will follow each subsequent Wednesday night at 10 PM ET/PT on SHOWTIME for the following seven weeks.

Season two of THE FRANCHISE will bring together the sexy, cosmopolitan vibe of the city of Miami with the intense and competitive world of America’s pastime as it follows one of Major League Baseball’s most talked-about teams – the Miami Marlins.  The Marlins have a new look in 2012, with the hiring of Guillen, the acquisition of All-Stars Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, Heath Bell and Carlos Zambrano, and the return of established young stars including Hanley Ramirez, Josh Johnson and Giancarlo Stanton.  Behind team owner Jeffery Loria and president David Samson, both of whom are providing extensive access to their front office operation, the Marlins have launched an extensive re-branding of the club this off-season which has included a name change (from Florida to Miami), the construction of a new ballpark and the unveiling of dramatically different uniforms.

A collaboration between SHOWTIME and Major League Baseball Productions, THE FRANCHISE: A SEASON WITH THE MIAMI MARLINS is currently in production in Miami, as well as various locations around the country as the team begins the 2012 season.  The show will continue to expand on SHOWTIME Sports® existing line-up of stellar and award-winning programming that includes INSIDE THE NFL, INSIDE NASCAR, FIGHT CAMP 360°, ShoBox: The New Generation, SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® and STRIKEFORCE® Mixed Martial Arts.

Editor’s Note: SHOWTIME Championship Boxing will immediately follow the preview episode (live at 9:30 PM ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) with two world title fights.

About Ryan Berenz 2166 Articles
Member of the Television Critics Association. Charter member of the Ancient and Mystic Society of No Homers. Squire of the Ancient & Benevolent Order of the Lynx, Lodge 49, Long Beach, Calif. Costco Wholesale Gold Star Member since 2011.