College

Lasorda helped Mike get into Miami Dade North Community College, Miami.
5 Major League organizations looked at Piazza, but no one would draft him.
Lasorda, (then manager of the LA Dodgers, and had been for quite some time,) asked the Dodgers to draft him as a favor.
Mike Piazza made the Dodgers 62nd round draft.
Mike was flown out to LA for the Dodgers to take a look at.
At the time, Mike was a first baseman and the Dodgers had no need of one because they had Eric Karros already.
Tommy Lasorda talking to then Dodger scouting director, Ben Wade:
Ben: "Get me a schedule, and I'll go see him play."
Lasorda: "Why go 3,000 miles to see him play when he's right here? Sign him."
Lasorda continues: "If I brought you a shortstop, and he hit like Michael just did, would you go see him play or would you sign him?"
(Wade said he'd sign him)
Lasorda: "All right. And if I brought you a catcher, what then?"
(Wade said if he was a catcher, he'd sign him.)
Lasorda: "The sign him, 'cause he's a catcher."