Twins hire Jim Kaat as special assistant

MINNEAPOLIS » The Minnesota Twins have hired former starting pitcher Jim Kaat as a special assistant to the organization.

The Twins announced Thursday that the 79-year-old Kaat will be involved in various community and business initiatives in Minnesota as well as the Fort Myers area in Florida where the team’s spring training facility and minor league headquarters are located.

Kaat spent 25 seasons in the major leagues, including 13 years with the Twins from 1961-72. He is the club’s all-time leader with 189 wins and 2,959 innings.

The Twins have Rod Carew, Kent Hrbek, Tom Kelly and Tony Oliva in similar roles. They’ve also hired former players Michael Cuddyer, Torii Hunter, LaTroy Hawkins and Justin Morneau from the next generation as special assistants. NEW ORLEANS » Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield has been named the 2017 Manning Award winner after a season in which he passed for 4,627 yards and 43 touchdowns.

Mayfield is the first Sooner and first former walk-on to win the Manning Award, which is given to the nation’s top college quarterback and is the only award to consider post-season performances in voting by a national media panel as well as Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning.

Mayfield also won the Heisman Trophy this season and led the Sooners to a Big 12 championship, as well as a semifinal berth in the College Football Playoff.