Bonds’ trial date set for next March

Barry Bonds is headed to trial next March on federal charges of lying to a grand jury about his use of performance-enhancing drugs.

The trial date was set Friday in San Francisco after baseball’s home run king pleaded not guilty when he was re-arraigned on 15 felony counts of lying under oath and obstruction of justice.

Lead Bonds attorney Allen Ruby pleaded not guilty to the charges on the slugger’s behalf, while Bonds stood silently in front of the judge. Ruby agreed to a March 2, 2009, trial date.

Bonds pleaded not guilty to similar accusations last December, but a judge ordered prosecutors to rewrite the indictment. The new indictment includes no new allegations.

Prosecutors say Bonds lied when he told a grand jury investigating the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative in 2003 that he never knowingly took steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs.

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Boston outfielder Coco Crisp, Tampa Bay pitcher James Shields and six other players were suspended by Major League Baseball disciplinarian Bob Watson as a result of a pair of altercations during Thursday night’s game.

Three Red Sox were suspended: Crisp for seven games, pitcher Jon Lester for five games and first baseman Sean Casey for three games.

As for the Rays, Shields was suspended for six games, outfielder Jonny Gomes and pitcher Edwin Jackson for five games, outfielder Carl Crawford for four games and second baseman Akinori Iwamura for three games