Andy Van Hekken might never get back to the major leagues, but his career is still on an upswing



The professional pitcher from Holland is joining the Seibu Lions in Japan this season — his 18th as a professional.



Van Hekken, 36, had spent the past four seasons in the Korean Baseball Organization.



"I am pretty excited. Japanese baseball has had a long history and a lot of great players that who have stayed there and come to the major leagues and had a lot of success," Van Hekken said. "That is really exciting to get another chance to see how I measure up in another league. With my age, there probably would be no other opportunities."



Van Hekken, who has been back in Holland during the offseason, has been scouted by Japanese teams in the past and after a 20-win season in the KBO two years ago, he was a hot commodity in Asia. He went 20-6 with a 3.51 earned run average and 178 strikeouts — his best season as a professional, following that up with a 15-8 record and 3.62 ERA last season.



"I got contacted by the team and they expressed some interest and made an offer," he said. "I am not trying to set to big expectations I can. I am trying to help out the team as much as I can and get as many wins as I can. Wins are viewed very important in Korea and Japan. It seems like they have a pretty good team in place and have a good lineup."



Van Hekken signed a one-year contract for the season, which begins at the end of March.



"It was a really tough decision to leave Korea," he said. "It has been four years playing over there and it has been really fun. I developed a lot of relationships with players and some of the fans. But ultimately, Japan is a place I have been wanting to play for a long time now. I am excited to see how this league is."



Van Hekken's four-year stop in Korea, where he went 58-32, was the longest he has spent in one spot during his career, which has included the major leagues and minor leagues for several MLB organizations.



"Obviously, it would have been nice to get back to the major leagues. I had my brief moment there. As I got older, it is something I look back on and feel very proud that I made it up there," he said. "If it never happens again, I will be OK with that."



That is what has made his time in Asia so special.



"I was battling it out in the minor leagues for a long time. To get the opportunity to come to Asia was a great opportunity for me and my family. We had a great time in Korea the past four years," he said. "Throughout my career, I have never really been in one place for very long and I was with that team for four years. It was a great experience."



Van Hekken still is mention in Detroit Tigers lore as the last rookie to throw a shutout, which he did in 2002, four years after being drafted by Seattle. He also was one of the best pitchers in West Michigan Whitecaps history, going 16-6 in 2000, the most wins in franchise history. He was inducted into the team's hall of fame in 2013.



But nothing compares to that Sept. 2 shutout against Cleveland at Comerica Park.



"It was 13 years ago. I always look back at it as a good memory. The more I think about it, my family and friends got to come and watch me and see the highlights of them getting so excited, especially after the last out, is more of what I remember now. I am thankful that I got the opportunity to pitch that well," he said. "It is something I will always have."



Now, Van Hekken is hoping to keep those special moments coming.



"It will be challenging but I am excited to get started," he said. "It is another chapter."



— Follow this reporter on Twitter @DanDAddona.