Jack McKeon didn't waste time in his attempt to change the culture in the Florida Marlins clubhouse.
The Palm Beach Post reports that the 80-year-old interim manager, who will manage his first game since 2005 on Monday after taking over for Edwin Rodriguez, benched shortstop Hanley Ramirez for Monday's game with the Angels.
According to the report, McKeon had scheduled a 3:30 meeting, and Ramirez was late to that meeting.
McKeon was asked if there was a reason that Ramirez wasn't in the lineup, and the manager bluntly replied, "Yeah, because I didn't put him there.
"If you try to be [the players'] friend that will you get fired."
Ramirez, a three-time All Star shortstop who was benched last season after failing to hustle after a fly ball, reportedly indicated that he didn't know why he wasn't in the lineup on Monday.
