According to Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA) Director Howard Cole, there were 227 IBWAA members who cast ballots in this year’s IBWAA Hall of Fame voting – twice the number of ballots cast in 2014. This significant increase shows that the IBWAA is gaining both in popularity and credibility among internet baseball writers, journalists, bloggers, radio talk-show hosts and podcasters. As of January 1, there were 348 members in the IBWAA.

Although Cole is keeping the results of the voting under wraps until the official announcement on Tuesday, January 6, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. (PT) sharp, he did insinuate that “more than one” eligible candidate had received the required 75% of the votes for enshrinement into the IBWAA Hall of Fame in a Twitter post that mysteriously disappeared shortly after being posted on Friday evening; however, the tweet did not indicate an exact number.

As for ThinkBlueLA writers (and IBWAA members) Harold Uhlman and Ron Cervenka, here’s how they voted:

Harold Uhlman

• Jeff Bagwell
• Randy Johnson
• Pedro Martinez
• Tim Raines
• Lee Smith
• Gary Sheffield
• John Smoltz

 Ron Cervenka

• Jeff Bagwell
• Nomar Garciaparra
• Randy Johnson
• Barry Larkin (elected by BBWAA in 2012)
• Edgar Martinez
• Pedro Martinez
• Tim Raines
• Lee Smith
• John Smoltz
• Alan Trammell

Although the IBWAA now allows its members to vote for 15 eligible candidates for the IBWAA Hall of Fame, members are under no obligation to cast all 15 votes and, in fact, many did not.

About the IBWAA

The Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA) was created July 4, 2009 to organize and promote the growing online baseball media, and to serve as a digital alternative to the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA). The IBWAA seeks neither to replace nor disparage the BBWAA, but does offer distinctions.

For more info, please contact IBWAA Director Howard Cole at IBWAA.com.