Venezuelan stars threaten WBC boycott after manager Vizquel replaced

Venezuela's national baseball team is facing a backlash from many of its star players over a controversial managerial change ahead of the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

Earlier this week, reports surfaced that Omar Vizquel - the former 11-time Gold Glove shortstop and legend of Venezuelan baseball - had been replaced as manager for the 2017 WBC in favor of Eddie Perez. That news was not greeted warmly by Venezuela's current crop of major leaguers, who are now rallying in support of Vizquel.

On Thursday night, Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez posted a group photo of several Venezuelan stars that was captioned with a message from Hernandez and the other players threatening to boycott the tournament if Vizquel is not reinstated as manager.

"Together in the name of baseball, Venezuela, and our manager, Omar Vizquel," the statement from Hernandez and the players reads, as translated by theScore. "The team is united, we will not participate in the World Baseball Classic without Vizquel."

The players even took their support of Vizquel to the airwaves in their country, as many appeared on a popular Venezuelan radio show Thursday afternoon to publicly support their preferred choice for skipper.

"All the players believe that Omar Vizquel is suited for this job," Martinez told the "Las Cronistas" program in a Spanish-language interview, according to Evan Woodberry of MLive.com.

"I will not be at (the WBC) if he (Vizquel) is not the manager," Martinez continued, according to Emily Waldon of The Associated Press. "I will not represent the hands who are behind this."

"Vizquel is an idol to all of us," added Chicago Cubs reliever Hector Rondon.

Venezuelan baseball federation president Edwin Zerpa lashed out at the players' boycott threat in a statement to ESPN Beisbol that was translated by Woodberry, calling them "unprofessional" and wondering if "they'd do the same if the Yankees change(d) managers."

On Wednesday, the developing controversy took an even stranger turn when Venezuela's general manager, former big-league shortstop Carlos Guillen, claimed the reports of Vizquel's dismissal were false.

"I don't know who notified them that Vizquel is no longer the manager," Guillen told a Venezuelan news outlet this week, according to Woodberry. "For us, he is the manager."

Vizquel, who played 24 years in the majors and is currently the Detroit Tigers' first base coach, has not commented on the situation; neither has Perez, his reported replacement, who coaches first for the Atlanta Braves.

Venezuelan players have until Dec. 5 to decide whether or not they will boycott the 2017 WBC, reports Waldon.

Venezuela's first game of the tournament is set for March 10, 2017 against Puerto Rico in Guadalajara, Mexico.