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Venezuela keeps Vizquel as WBC manager after boycott threats

David Richard / USA TODAY Sports

Facing the threat of entering the 2017 World Baseball Classic without many of the country's biggest superstars, Venezuela's baseball federation confirmed Friday that former All-Star shortstop and Venezuelan baseball legend Omar Vizquel will not be replaced as the team's manager after word of his firing was announced earlier this week.

The country's team released a statement in Spanish announcing the news, as shared by Venezuelan journalist Wilmer Reina. Vizquel then confirmed he spoke with the team's general manager, former big-league shortstop Carlos Guillen, and that all the issues had been smoothed over.

"I called (Guillen) and we talked. We also met during the afternoon," Vizquel tweeted in Spanish, as per to ESPN.com.

According to Evan Woodberry of MLive.com, who cited a Spanish report from Reina, it was Detroit Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera who saved the day for Vizquel - a member of the Tigers' coaching staff since 2014 - by serving as a mediator between he and Guillen, who was once a teammate of Cabrera's.

The controversy began earlier this week when it was reported by several outlets that Vizquel, who recorded more hits than any other Venezuelan-born player during his 24-year career, had been replaced by Atlanta Braves coach Eddie Perez. In response to the news, a group of Venezuela's biggest stars - including Cabrera, Felix Hernandez, Victor Martinez, and Carlos Gonzalez - announced their intention to boycott the WBC if Vizquel was not reinstated. A boycott of so many stars would have likely had a severe impact on Venezuela's chances in the WBC, where the nation is considered one of several favorites to go deep in the tournament.

Venezuela's provisional roster for the WBC, which begins on March 9, 2017, has not been released. Players must confirm their intent to participate in the tournament by Monday, Emily Waldon of the Associated Press reports.

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