  Rick van den Hurk likely to return to South Korea
Nederlands
...Rick van den Hurk during this year's EBLT...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
 DAEGU (South Korea) -
Dutch professional pitcher Rick van den Hurk likely will return to South Korea next season to pitch again for the Samsung Lions, with whom he won the Korean Series this year.
On Wednesday-evening (December 18), it was confirmed that Van den Hurk is currently in contract talks with the Korean club and a renewal is an option, pending a physical.
This season, the 28-year old righthander made his debut in the Korean Baseball Organization after having pitched for American clubs from 2002-2012.
Van den Hurk was 7-9 in the regular season with the Lions, which finished in first place to qualify automatically for the Korean Series.
In the best-of-seven final against the Doosan Bears, Van den Hurk was the winning pitcher in relief in Game 5.
The Lions won the Series 4-3 after having trailed 3-1 after four games.
Samsung Lions became the first club in history to do so.
It was the third championship in a row for the club from Daegu.
After signing a professional contract in 2002, Van den Hurk played in the Major League for the Florida Marlins (2007-2010), Baltimore Orioles (2010-2011) and Pittsburgh Pirates (2012).
In this period, he won eight games and struckout 179 batters.
Since 2010, Van den Hurk organizes the annual European Big League Tour.
With Major League-colleagues, Van den Hurk then conducts clinics for Dutch youth-players, but also traveled with the instructors to Belgium, Czech Republic, England and Italy in the first three editions.
Last month, the Tour also made a stop in French capital Paris.
(December 18)
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