Managing The L.A. Dodgers

Love may be never having to say you're sorry, but sometimes it's important to say thank you. And in today's installment of Week of Wishes, we meet a woman who is looking for help in saying a very special thank you to her husband.

Every week, Ramona Tutino gets a reminder of just how much her husband, Peter, loves her. She says, "For the last 7 or 8 years, he's bought me a dozen roses for my desk every Monday when I go to work, so I am the envy of every employee at my work."

Her husband says, "Well, that started way back when we weren't clicking. We've been together for 15 years before we actually got married, and we didn't click at times, so I had to send her flowers to get back in. It all started and now I can't stop."

With three years of marriage and fifteen of courtship under their belt, Ramona and Peter say they are proof that opposites attract.

Ramona says, "Peter and I are direct opposites from one another, I am the high one, and he keeps me very level."

Peter adds, "Without her, I think my life would be a downer. She's the spark."

But if Ramona didn't spark Peter's flaming passion for the Los Angeles Dodgers, she is helping to fuel it. Going through his Dodger memorabilia, Peter says, "This is my first shirt, that when we were going together Ramona gave me this."

For Peter, love for the Dodgers runs back to the 1950s and Brooklyn when his father would take him to New York to watch two titans of baseball: the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees do battle.

Peter says, "He used to root for the Yankees, I would root for the Dodgers. Of course, the Yankees always won, except 1955."

But, Peter followed the Dodgers all the way to Los Angeles, and it seems, the Dodgers followed Peter into his marriage.

Ramona says, "On our honeymoon we went to Los Angeles and of course he had to go see his Dodgers. So that's all he needed. He was fine; I could run the rest of the itinerary, he was happy."

Ramona knows that there's room in Peter's heart for her, too, and that opposite though they may be, they are meant for each other.

She says, "His heart is just great and he treated me like gold. And it was refreshing and made me feel good, and (laughing) I love him terribly."

On Wednesday, Peter and Ramona came to The Early Show. Peter was told the focus of the segment was on the role of supportive loved ones in making changes in one's life.

So he was quite surprised when she read her letter to the Week of Wishes:

Hello,
My name is Ramona Tutino. I would very much like to give my husband a very big surprise. My husband is the world's biggest Dodger fan. He goes all the way back to the Brooklyn Dodgers. He remembers his father taking him to the famous Subway series. All his life he has lived and died with the Dodgers. For years, I have had to listen to him spout off about "If I were the Manager of that team I'd....." Well, I would like him to put his money where his mouth is. My wish would be that he gets to manage the L.A. Dodgers for a day. Maybe after he sees what it's like, he will keep quiet. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely Ramona Tutino

So The Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith gave Peter a Dodger hat, jersey and a ball signed by Tommy Lasorda, who just happened to be on the show on remote from from Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Fla., with an offer for Peter.

Lasorda says, "He seems to think he can manage the Dodgers. Well, just talk to those 212 guys who have been fired since I was managing the Dodgers. They'll tell him how tough it is."

Lasorda invited Peter and Ramona to join him for a pre-season game in Vero Beach to talk Dodgers, and give Peter a chance to prove what he knows about his team.

While Peter, really close to his wife, was speechless, Lasorda says, "I will stay as close to him as Ramona is. I can't send him any flowers, though."

Peter will get to test his managerial theories. But Lasorda warns, "We'll be looking forward to give him a sign. And he won't know exactly what to do. He'll turn around and ask Ramona,'What should I do in this situation?'"

Spoken like a man of true experience. Having been with the Dodgers for 55 years, Lasorda appreciates a good Dodger fan when he sees one.

He says, "There's a saying in this country. If you don't pull for the Dodgers, there's a good chance you may not get into heaven."

Surely, he and Peter will get along just fine.