Alan Diaz / AP

Miguel Cabrera isn't interested in a lecture on his attitude. "(Forget) the veterans," he says. "They haven't told me anything and they better not come tell me anything, either."

The is no question the Florida Marlins are a talented bunch. So what happened to their playoff chances?

First A.J. Burnett rips manager Jack McKeon and the rest of the coaching staff for their negative attitude. Then the team sends him home for the season, and since he'll be a free agent, likely ends his career with the Marlins.

Then young star Miguel Cabrera gets suspended for a game, one day after showing up late for a game.

Something obviously is going wrong in the clubhouse.

According to the Palm Beach Post, some Marlins officials are openly concerned about Cabrera's work ethic and attitude. The rising star, 22, is in just his third season in the majors and already has hit 77 home runs with a career .299 average.

"Sometimes fame comes too quickly," Hall of Famer Tony Perez, a special assistant for the Marlins, told the Post.

Cabrera has had two incidents in the past week. He was not in the lineup Thursday in New York because he failed to report on time for medical treatment, one day after fouling a ball off his knee. On Sunday in Atlanta, he missed the team bus to the stadium and showed up within an hour of the first pitch.

According to the paper, some teammates were critical of Cabrera after he stopped shagging fly balls before games in July and August, and instead visited with friends from Venezuela in the dugout.

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"He has the ability; everybody knows that," Perez told the Post. "He's got a great future ahead of him, but that's up to him.

"If he has no ambition and just wants to be in the big leagues and play . . . " Perez said, his voice trailing off. "You have to have a goal and follow it."

According to the Post, some teammates have said Cabrera has lost respect in the clubhouse because of his attitude. Others offer carefully phrased criticism.

"When I was first coming up, you were never late, never said anything. It's a rule," said veteran Jeff Conine. "You show up on time and work hard, nobody will say anything to you."

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