“That’s suspicion,” Tommy Lasorda  (above) said of godson / Hall Of Fame candidate Metal Mike Piazza when speaking to the New York Daily News’ Andy Martino. “It’s not definite. I don’t think he was involved in drugs.” And when has the former Dodgers manager ever been in denial about something?

Is it important to Piazza to make it into this highly exclusive club?

“How could you ask that question?” Lasorda said. “It’s the most glamorous honor we have in baseball. It’s the top of the mountain. Of course it’s important to him.”

Lasorda is not necessarily confident that his protege will make it this year — “I don’t know,” he said. “I’m just not sure.” — but he considers Piazza an obvious Hall of Famer.

“Of course he is,” Lasorda said. “He hit more home runs than any catcher in the history of baseball.  He has a lifetime batting average of over .300.”