Rays Playoff Push, Prospects and Baseball Around the World

Mark Corbett and Mat Germain break down the Tampa Bay Rays as they head into the final stretch of the season, plus prospects, the Little League World Series, the Rays stadium debate and international women’s baseball.

Rays Playoff Push

The Rays face a difficult schedule as they battle toward the postseason. Mark and Mat discuss recent performances, injuries, Kevin Cash&r...

Thankful Thursday: Celebrating people making a difference through baseball and community service.

Roberto Clemente: Remembering his humanitarian legacy and the annual Roberto Clemente Award. 

Christian Yelich: Named Players Trust Most Valuable Philanthropist for August for supporting animal rescue organizations. 

Little League World Series: Highlights from Williamsport, including standout performances by young players. 

...

Mary Mustard and the WPBL

BaseballBiz On Deck welcomes baseball writer Mary Mustard, WPBL blogger, to discuss the inaugural Women's Pro Baseball League (WPBL) season, and the future of the sport.

Mary shares her perspective on the WPBL's four teams, international talent and standout players including Denae Benites, Kelsi Whitmore, Ashton Lansdell and Brittney Apgar. 
Mary also discusses changes with the Boston Hunter...

The Rays have been on an impressive run following the trade deadline, with strong performances during a demanding West Coast stretch.

• Nine games in 10 days
• The Rays' success on the West Coast, traditionally a difficult trip for the club
• The impact of the players added around the trade deadline
• The importance of the team's growing confidence heading toward the playoffs
• The Rays' impressive 41-18 home record 

Taylor Walls Has...

MLB Trade Deadline Doors Close, WPBL league Opens. Baseball abounds in August & Nature is Wild in Nova Scotia

The MLB Trade Deadline delivered one of the busiest transaction days of the season. Mark Corbett and Mat Germain break down the biggest winners and losers, & how the the Rays positioned themselves for a postseason run.

They also discuss the launch of the Women's Pro Baseball League, highlighting its opening weekend, s...

368 BaseballBiz On Deck Episode Show Notes

• Mark Corbett hosts solo while Mat Germain enjoys vacation in Nova Scotia. 
• Mat continues following MLB trade deadline developments and shares updates on BlueSky. 
• Recommendation to subscribe to Brent Cardy's new Substack, The Cardy Show, featuring Blue Jays analysis and baseball history.  https://thecardyshow.substack
• Discussion of Brent Cardy's recent article examining Max ...

BaseballBiz On Deck: WBSC, Women's Baseball World Cup, Rays Trade Deadline and MLB Economics

Mark Corbett and Mat Germain break down the latest action from the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage in Rockford, Illinois, including standout performances by Team USA, Canada, Japan and Australia. They also discuss the upcoming Women's Pro Baseball League and where fans can watch the tournament.

The conversation shifts to the Tampa...

All-Star Game Junior Caminero was hit on the hand by ex-Rays prospect Riley O'Brien during the exhibition. Scans came back relatively positive

Debate on whether star players should risk injury in exhibition games. 

Mat proposed moving the All-Star Game to Las Vegas after the World Series, bundled with the Hall of Fame ceremony and GM meetings to create a marquee baseball event. 

Where is the Brotherly love -  Philly cro...

BaseballBiz On Deck: Rays Up Edition
Mark Corbett and Mat Germain
The Rays Are Rolling
Tampa Bay leads the AL East by four games over New York, sits 17+ games above .500, and has essentially locked up a playoff spot. Their Low-A and High-A affiliates have already clinched. The system ranks top 10 in baseball. Four players are headed to the All-Star Game: Brian Baker, Junior Caminero, Yandy Diaz, and Drew Rasmussen.
Game...

Canada Day Celebrations & Happy Birthday Dad

Mat & Mark kick off the episode celebrating Canada Day, sharing family plans, backyard traditions, and a few fun Canada facts, including Princess Di's July 1st birthday

Canada at FIFA World Cup
Canada's men's national soccer team reaches the Sweet 16. Mat breaks down how the women's program, led by icons like Martine Saint-Clair, paved the way for the men's team, and how...

Mark and Mat record live during the Rays vs. Royals Wednesday night game, the fourth and final game of a tough homestand series that Tampa Bay lost three games to one. The score at wrap-up is 5-3 in favor of the Rays heading into the final out of the ninth.

Topics Covered

Rays June Struggles The guys break down a rough June for Tampa Bay, noting the team has been burning through its early-season buffer. Mat walks through the slugging...

Mark Corbett sits down with Genelle Garverick to explore the rich sports history of Tampa's Palmetto Beach, Ybor City, and DeSoto Park communities, with a special focus on Genelle's legendary mother, Mochine Mercedes Fernandez.

Growing Up in Palmetto Beach, DeSoto Park & Ybor City

• Genelle attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH), a K-12 Catholic school in Ybor City
• Began playing city/playground sports around age 6
• OLPH fielde...

Mark and Mat dive deep into the Tampa Bay Rays' struggles on their West Coast road trip, debate the future of baseball marketing, celebrate Evan Longoria's upcoming number retirement, and share a historic tale about Lou Piniella and Bill Gates.

Rays on the West Coast

• The Rays' disappointing road trip to California — struggling offense, solid pitching
• The challenges of East-to-West travel and time zone adjustments
• The third-wo...

Host Mark Corbett sits down with Merrie Fidler, the foremost historian of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL), to explore the league's remarkable history, from its wartime origins to its ambitious international expansion plans, and the ongoing revival of women's baseball today.

Topics Covered

• How Merrie discovered the AAGPBL through a 1943 Time Magazine article while pursuing her master's degree in sport ...

Mark's Birthday Surprise at the Ballpark Mark celebrates a milestone birthday with a surprise family reunion organized by his wife Karen. The whole family attended a Tampa Bay Rays vs. Miami Marlins game at LoanDepot Park (Marlins Park), where Mark got a "Grand Slam" scoreboard shoutout, a birthday button, and a slice of chocolate cake delivered to his seat  behind the dugout. 
Special thanks to Lou Schiff for his help...

BaseballBiz On Deck —Guest: Ryan Woodward | Recorded June 10, 2026

Episode Summary Host Mark Corbett sits down with Ryan Woodward — creator of Women in Baseball Week, the Women's Heritage Baseball Trail, and project coordinator for the International Women's Baseball Center (IWBC) in Rockford, Illinois — to discuss an historic summer for women's baseball.

Key Topics Covered

Women's Baseball World Cup — Group Sta...

Tampa Bay Rays Update

• Rays fall 10-9 to the Detroit Tigers in a wild game at Tropicana Field
• Detroit's Dylan Dingler goes 4-for-5 with 4 RBIs, 4 runs, and 2 home runs — a persistent thorn in the Rays' side (.409 average, 1.234 OPS vs. Tampa Bay)
• Riley Green and Matt Carpenter also continue their success against the Rays
• Griffin Jax struggles in his starting role; discussion on whether he should be moved back to the bullpen
• Ty ...

RaysUp -  Kimbrel joins the Rays on a Rough Road Trip

Mark and Mat recorded this live while watching the Tampa Bay Rays wrap up a painful road trip in Baltimore, with the Orioles leading 5-0 early and eventually extending the lead. Despite the tough loss, the guys cover a packed agenda of Rays news, roster moves, and big-picture topics.

Topics Covered

1. Painful Baltimore Road Trip
The Rays are getting roughed up in their fina...

Special guest Gordo from the podcast Play Tessie joins Mark Corbett and Mat Germain for an in-depth look at the current state of the Boston Red Sox. The crew breaks down Boston’s elite pitching, offensive struggles, leadership concerns, player development, trade deadline possibilities, and how the Red Sox compare to the Rays model of success. 

Red Sox Pitching is Carrying the Team

•  Boston’s starting rotation...