Marlins' sour season collapses in dissension

MIAMI (AP) -- The Florida Marlins' final homestand in a season gone sour began with pitcher A.J. Burnett being sent home, slugger Miguel Cabrera benched for disciplinary reasons and manager Jack McKeon hinting he won't be back in 2006.
As the injury-plagued Marlins staggered toward the finish all but eliminated from the playoff race, the focus Monday turned to what went wrong, and more evidence surfaced that player animosity toward McKeon was part of the problem.
The dissension issue came to a head Sunday when right-hander Burnett said the team plays scared because McKeon and the coaching staff are too negative.
The rant by Burnett, a free agent this offseason who indicated he would not re-sign with Florida, came after he lost his sixth decision in a row at Atlanta.
Dismissed
The Marlins asked Burnett to leave before Monday night's 4-0 loss to Washington.
General manager Larry Beinfest said Burnett was not suspended and would be paid for the remainder of the season. But Beinfest added, "there will be no multiyear contract offer made to him."
During his pregame meeting with the media, McKeon declined to say whether he would scratch Burnett from his final start Friday as a disciplinary measure.
"The guy didn't want to pitch here, did he?" McKeon said after the game. "We gave him plenty of chances."