Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew' will not receive any more treatment for the "awful disease,"

Former Yankees broadcaster Jim Kaat was a teammate of Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew's for 15 seasons with the Senators and Twins, and through the years they have remained close friends.

So when Killebrew, 74, announced Friday that he would no longer fight his esophageal cancer, saying "it is with profound sadness" that he will not receive any more treatment for the "awful disease," Kaat wasn't surprised.

"I talked to him three days ago and I knew that he didn't sound good, and I was not optimistic," said Kaat, who was at the Stadium Friday night as part of the MLB Network team. "When I talked to him it was pretty noticeable. He was having a hard time talking and from being through cancer with my late wife, I could kind of sense, it was one of those things you don't want to admit, but you kind of know he's getting worse and maybe nearing the end."

Killebrew said the cancer has been deemed incurable by his doctors and he will enter hospice care.

"With the continued love and support of my wife, Nita, I have exhausted all options," said Killebrew, who is 11th on baseball's all-time home run list with 573. "I have spent the past decade of my life promoting hospice care and educating people on its benefits. I am very comfortable taking this next step. I look forward to spending my final days in comfort and peace with Nita by my side."

Kaat said he first met Killebrew in the spring of 1958 and played with him until 1973, when Katt went to the White Sox.

"He was only diagnosed maybe six months ago so it's really sad," Kaat said of Killebrew. "He's a great man, a great teammate and a guy who was the face of the Twins' franchise. I think he's the main reason why the Twins have had the reputation of being a gentlemanly organization