Technically, Hanley Ramirez wasn't late Monday. He was at stretch on time and ultimately that's how to gauge whether a guy is tardy. One teammate took exception to Ramirez chronically showing up less than half an hour before stretch and let him know it in front of the rest of the club.

According to a team source present at the time, Logan Morrison ripped Ramirez for arriving so much later than everyone else. He also told him that's why he was batting .200. Approached about the incident, Morrison said it was a clubhouse matter and would not discuss it.

Ramirez reportedly didn't respond to Morrison's chastisement until he left the room. Ramirez then started barking to no one in particular. New interim manager Jack McKeon yanked Ramirez from the lineup Monday, saying he didn't like the way he ran a day earlier, but made no reference to Ramirez's arrival time. Whatever the overlying reason, McKeon no doubt used the occasion to send Ramirez a message.

About an hour before the 7:10 scheduled first pitch, Ramirez said he had not received an explanation as to why he wasn't starting. He also denied being late.

Tuesday, McKeon inserted Ramirez back in to the lineup in the cleanup spot.

This isn't the first time a teammate has found occasion to put Ramirez in his place. On Sept. 2, 2009, Uggla called out Ramirez with reporters present for taking himelf out of the lineup. He accused Ramirez of not caring and being content with his $70 million contract and the two got into a verbal altercation before manager Fredi Gonzalez emerged and asked the media to leave.

Morrison's actions come in the wake of ex-Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez before his resignation saying he felt the team lacked veteran leadership. Rodriguez, like most managers, prefers to have players police themselves. Though Morrison is in his first full season as a big leaguer, he's a budding leader on this club. Monday, Javier Vazquez singled out Morrison and Gaby Sanchez as young guys most likely to continue growing as team leaders.

The Marlins already have spoken to Morrison about exercising caution using Twitter and for his candid remarks after hitting coach John Mallee was fired. The front office probably didn't mind Morrison speaking his mind in this case.