NEW YORK -- Theres a chance the podium under the chandeliers in the gold-and-ivory-colored Vanderbilt Room of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel will go unused. Ryan Kerrigan Jersey . With the cloud of steroids shrouding the candidacies of Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and others, baseball writers may fail for the only the second time in more than four decades to elect anyone to the Hall of Fame, rendering a news conference unnecessary. About 600 people are eligible to vote in the BBWAA election, all members of the organization for 10 consecutive years at any point. Results will be announced at 2 p.m. EST Wednesday, with the focus on first-time eligibles that include Bonds, baseballs only seven-time Most Valuable Player, and Clemens, the only seven-time Cy Young Award winner. Since 1965, the only years the writers didnt elect a candidate were when Yogi Berra topped the 1971 ballot at 67 per cent and when Phil Niekro headed the 1996 ballot at 68 per cent. Both were chosen the following years. "It really would be a shame, especially since the other people going in this year are not among the living, which will make for a rather strange ceremony," said the San Francisco Chronicles Susan Slusser, president of the Baseball Writers Association of America. Three inductees were chosen last month by the 16-member panel considering individuals from the era before integration in 1946: Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert, umpire Hank ODay and barehanded catcher Deacon White. They will be enshrined during a ceremony at Cooperstown on July 28. Also on the ballot for the first time are Sammy Sosa and Mike Piazza, power hitters whose statistics have been questioned because of the Steroids Era, and Craig Biggio, 20th on the career list with 3,060 hits -- all for the Houston Astros. Curt Schilling, 11-2 with a 2.23 ERA in post-season play, is another ballot rookie. The Hall is prepared to hold a news conference Thursday with any electees. Or to not have one. Biggio wasnt sure whether the controversy over this years ballot would keep all candidates out. "All I know is that for this organization I did everything they ever asked me to do and Im proud about it, so hopefully, the writers feel strongly, they liked what they saw, and well see what happens," Biggio said on Nov. 28, the day the ballot was announced. Jane Forbes Clark, the Halls chairman, said last year she was not troubled by voters weighing how to evaluate players in the era of performance-enhancing drugs. "I think the museum is very comfortable with the decisions that the baseball writers make," she said. "And so its not a bad debate by any means." Bonds has denied knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs and was convicted of one count of obstruction of justice for giving an evasive answer in 2003 to a grand jury investigating PEDs. Clemens was acquitted of perjury charges stemming from congressional testimony during which he denied using PEDs. Sosa, who finished with 609 home runs, was among those who tested positive in MLBs 2003 anonymous survey, The New York Times reported in 2009. He told a congressional committee in 2005 that he never took illegal performance-enhancing drugs. The BBWAA election rules say "voting shall be based upon the players record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played." "Steroid or HGH use is cheating, plain and simple," ESPN.coms Wallace Matthews wrote. "And by definition, cheaters lack integrity, sportsmanship and character. Strike one, strike two, strike three." Several holdovers from last year remain on the 37-player ballot, with top candidates including Jack Morris (67 per cent), Jeff Bagwell (56 per cent), Lee Smith (51 per cent) and Tim Raines (49 per cent). When The Associated Press surveyed 112 eligible voters in late November, Bonds received 45 per cent support among voters who expressed an opinion, Clemens 43 per cent and Sosa 18 per cent. The Baseball Think Factory website compiled votes by writers who made their opinions public and with 151 ballots had everyone falling short. Biggio was at 68 per cent, followed by Morris (63), Bagwell (62), Raines (61), Piazza (59), Bonds (43) and Clemens (42). Morris finished second last year when Barry Larkin was elected and is in his 14th and next-to-last year of eligibility. He could become the player with the highest-percentage of the vote who is not in the Hall, a mark currently held by Gil Hodges at 63 per cent in 1983. Several players who fell just short in the BBWAA balloting later were elected by either the Veterans Committee or Old-Timers Committee: Nellie Fox (74.7 per cent on the 1985 BBWAA ballot), Jim Bunning (74.2 per cent in 1988), Orlando Cepeda (73.6 per cent in 1994) and Frank Chance (72.5 per cent in 1945). Ace of three World Series winners, Morris finished with 254 victories and was the winningest pitcher of the 1980s. His 3.90 ERA, however, is higher than that of any Hall of Famer. Morris will be joined on next years ballot by Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, both 300-game winners. If no one is elected this year, there could be a logjam in 2014. Voters may select up to 10 players. The only certainty is the Hall is pleased with the writers process. "While the BBWAA does the actual voting, it only does so at the request of the Hall of Fame," said the Los Angeles Times Bill Shaikin, the organizations past president. "If the Hall of Fame is troubled, certainly the Hall could make alternate arrangements." Darrell Green Jersey . Trailing their favourite West Coast rival 1-0 courtesy of an early second half Darren Mattocks strike, come the hour mark Paul Mariner had seen more then enough. Josh Morgan Jersey . This week, they discuss Edmonton Oilers owner Daryl Katz, a tribute to the late Emanuel Steward, the New York Islanders decision to move to Brooklyn and the lack of effort by the B. http://www.s... . The B.C. Lions are certainly hoping that the 2012 season gets off to a better start than 2011 did. [url=http://www.shopredskinsgear.us/leonard-hankerson-redskins-jersey/]Leonard Hankerson Jersey . The Alouettes took the lead in the first half and held on for a 28-17 win over Drew Willy and the Saskatchewan Roughriders on a flag-filled afternoon at Percival Molson Stadium on Sunday. London Fletcher Jersey . -- Veronica Felibert left the LPGA Tour event in Canada on Sunday with the intention of trying to qualify Monday for the NW Arkansas Championship. PHILADELPHIA -- Seeing Jayson Werth quiet a hostile crowd pleased Bryce Harper more than his own latest accomplishment. Harper hit his 20th homer, Ian Desmond and Kurt Suzuki also connected and the Nationals beat the Philadelphia Phillies 8-4 Wednesday night to move closer toward winning their first division title since moving to Washington. The Nationals reduced their magic number in the NL East to four, holding a four-game lead over Atlanta with seven remaining. The 19-year-old Harper joined Tony Conigliaro as the only teenagers to reach 20 homers in big league history. "That doesnt mean very much to me," Harper said. Harper was more excited about Werths in-your-face two-run single in the ninth that extended Washingtons lead to 7-4. Werth, jeered in Philadelphia since leaving the Phillies in free agency after the 2010 season, drew loud boos in the on-deck circle after he picked up a foul ball and faked tossing it into the stands. The boos grew louder when Werth came up to the plate. Rookie pitcher Justin De Fratus then earned cheers for throwing a fastball high and tight to Werth, who got an earful throughout his at-bat. Werth got the last laugh with his hit up the middle. Harper added an RBI triple. "It gave me a chill after the fans were going crazy with all that booing," Harper said. "That was huge. Hes been doing that all year for us." John Lannan (4-0) gave up two runs and five hits in 5 1-3 innings to win his second start since taking Stephen Strasburgs spot in the rotation. Strasburg, the All-Star righty, was shut down after reaching his innings limit. The Phillies, who closed to within three games of St. Louis for the NLs second wild-card spot following a late push, are on the verge of elimination. The five-time defending NL East champions are 5 1/2 games behind the Cardinals with seven left. "Weve been pushing real hard and its catching up to us," manager Charlie Manuel said. Kyle Kendrick (10-12) got roughed up, allowing five runs and five hits in two-plus innings. Jimmy Rollins hit a solo homer, snapping an 0-for-19 slump. But the Phillies couldnt overcome a 5-0 deficit. Kendrick walked Werth on five pitches to start tthe game and Harper drove the first pitch he saw 411 feet to deep left-centre for a 2-0 lead. Charles Mann Jersey. . Harper matched the feat of Conigliaro, who hit 24 home runs for the Boston Red Sox in 1964. "Thats nothing new to me," Nats manager Davey Johnson said about Harper. "I saw him hit a 500-foot homer when he was 14 years old. The thing is he thinks he should be hitting .400." Desmond connected leading off the second, hitting his 25th homer way out to left-centre to make it 3-0. Steve Lombardozzi then reached on second baseman Chase Utleys fielding error and Suzuki followed with a shot out to left to put the Nationals up 5-0. Kevin Frandsen hit a one-out double in the third to get the Phillies going. He scored when Suzuki threw wild to third on reliever B.J. Rosenbergs sacrifice. Lannan then pitched out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam by striking out Ryan Howard and retiring Carlos Ruiz on a grounder to the mound. "Any time you can come in here and get a win, its very satisfying," said Lannan, who improved to 3-12 against the Phillies. Frandsen hit a two-out triple in the fourth and scored on Rosenbergs single up the middle in his first official at-bat in the majors. Rollins hit his team-leading 23rd homer off Ryan Mattheus in the seventh. Domonic Browns sacrifice fly off former closer Tyler Clippard cut it to 5-4 in the eighth. Clippard fanned Frandsen to leave the tying run on third. NOTES: Roy Halladay felt fine after a bullpen session and will start on Friday for the Phillies. There was a possibility Halladay would be shut down after experiencing spasms near his shoulder blade last week. ... Nationals are 14-4 when Harper goes deep. ... Desmond is 9 for 20 off Kendrick. ... Ruiz received the Mike Schmidt MVP Award given annually by the Philadelphia chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America. Cole Hamels got the Steve Carlton MVP pitcher Award, Rollins received the Dallas Green Special Achievement Award and Juan Pierre got the Tug McGraw True Pro Award. ... Gio Gonzalez (20-8) tries to strengthen his bid for the NL Cy Young Award in the series finale against Philadelphia rookie Tyler Cloyd (2-1). ' ' '