Venezuela manager López on devastating earthquakes: 'Time for our country to unify'

DETROIT – Houston Astros bench coach Omar López’s eyes filled with tears when he was asked Thursday about the devastation his native Venezuela was reeling from after two earthquakes Wednesday had flattened buildings, collapsed roads and killed at least 188 in Caracas with the death toll feared to reach the thousands.

“It’s really hard for me to talk,” said López, who earlier this year had managed Venezuela to a championship in the World Baseball Classic that set off unrivaled celebration in a baseball-crazy country. “After almost three-plus months and a happiest day for our country, now we have to go through this.”

López, who is from Valencia, just over 100 miles from Caracas, the country’s capital and largest city, said he was able to confirm that members of his wife’s family are fine. He said members of Team Venezuela were in contact via a message thread Wednesday night to check in and provide support for each other.

“Unfortunately, we have a lot of people that we know, they lost some family members,” said López. “And now it’s even harder for us. We’re talking with the government, a lot of people out there, to see what we can do from here in the next probably couple days, or maybe weeks, to help our country to recover from this.

“A lot of people disappeared and we don’t know if they are alive yet. But God is going to help us to support these survivors.”

Astros All-Star Jose Altuve is from Puerto Cabello, roughly 140 miles from Caracas, and declined comment prior to the game.

López was able to check in with Altuve and a pair of Team Venezuela players from the Tigers -- Friday’s starter Keider Montero and injured second baseman Gleyber Torres.

“We feel very comfortable supporting each other last night,” López said. “But the most important thing last night was our team, our people, their family were fine. We’re good. So, we can put together something for our country.

“We’re going to create a plan with Altuve included, that [even though] he wasn’t part of this [WBC] team, he’s Venezuelan and he’s part of our journey and part of our country. It’s OK to have people around. We can talk about it. But at the same time, for me, I feel really frustrated that I can’t go to Venezuela right now and help and put my best effort for our people. I have a job to do. I have to stay here, but I’ll pray.”

Venezuelans, bonded by their love of country and baseball, are being tested again after a history of tough challenges.

“Baseball unified 30 players,” López said of the WBC squad while also including that team’s coaching staff. “This is the time for our country to unify. And it’s time for people from other countries to also come help us.”

He called for the earthquake disasters to unite Central American and South American countries.

“I think our country has been suffering so much for years and we’re still getting more hard stuff in our way,” López said from his seat in the dugout at Comerica Park before Thursday night’s game with the Tigers. “It’s frustrating, you know. Three months ago, we were able to do something special, and now three months later, we have to go through the sad part, the frustrated part. We’re doing our best right now to support our community, our country, from a distance.”

López wore a blue Astros cap with the letters “VZ” stitched in white into the right side, as did other Venezuelan players and staff around MLB. A moment of silence was planned at MLB stadiums hosting games, and Comerica Park featured that tribute prior to Thursday night’s game.