San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - Baseball's home run king was back in court on Friday, as Barry Bonds again pleaded not guilty, this time to 15 refiled federal charges of lying to a grand jury.
The not guilty pleas were entered in an early morning hearing. At another session starting at 11 a.m. (pt) U.S. District Judge Susan Illston set a trial date of March 2, 2009. Bonds has been charged with 14 counts of lying to a grand jury and one count of obstruction that he denied knowingly taking illegal performance-enhancing drugs.
STORY....
Bay City News Service and Associated Press
Baseball star Barry Bonds will be arraigned before U.S. magistrate Bernard Zimmerman in San Francisco on 14 counts of making false statements and one count of obstruction of justice stemming from 2003 grand-jury testimony in a sports-steroid probe. The hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. at the Federal Buiding on Golden Gate Avenue.
Bonds pleaded not guilty to similar accusations in December, but a judge ordered prosecutors to rewrite the slugger's indictment in mid-May to fix legal matters in the document.
Thereafter, at 11 a.m. before Judge Susan Illston, a trial date is slated to be set and a status conference held.
By Charles Odum, AP Sports Writer
GRIFFIN, Ga. — Tim Beckham had his head down as commissioner Bud Selig announced the top pick of the Major League Baseball draft, and then the Griffin High School shortstop was engulfed in a circle of bear hugs from his family.
Thursday's televised announcement was only a formality. Beckham already had a Tampa Bay Rays No. 1 jersey, complete with his name, on the back of his chair. He put on the jersey and a Rays cap as a room full of friends and relatives continued to cheer.
"I found out this morning when they gave me a call," Beckham said. "It was crazy. I was about to do a back flip in my room."
Beckham became the first player from a Georgia school to be selected No. 1 since Mike Ivie was picked from Atlanta's old Walker High School in 1970.
With the status of being the No. 1 pick comes high expectations, which Beckham eagerly embraced.
MORE....
by FOXSports.com
The Georgia High School Association has fined a school $1,000 for an incident in the state playoffs last weekend in Cartersville, Ga.
In the fourth inning of Saturday's deciding game of the Class AAA championship series, Stephens County catcher Matt Hill ducked and did not attempt to catch a pitch that struck the home plate umpire, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
Stephens coach Mark Gosnell said Hill and pitcher Cody Martin denied plotting to hit the umpire, who was not hurt, and said the passed ball during a 13-1 loss to Cartersville was a result of a signaling mix-up.
FULL ARTICLE....
By Mark Bowman / MLB.com
ATLANTA -- John Smoltz has said that he'll be content if he never throws another pitch. Now, just two days after he attempted to alleviate stress on his shoulder with a move to the bullpen, the Braves veteran pitcher finds this to be a more defined possibility.
The Braves have scheduled an 11:30 a.m. ET news conference at Turner Field and at that time, they are expected to discuss Smoltz's future. There has been talk that he will need to undergo season-ending surgery on his right shoulder.
The Braves said that executive vice president Frank Wren, manager Bobby Cox and Smoltz will be in attendance at the news conference.
STORY....
By Tony Massarotti
If the Red Sox [team stats] are going to repeat as world champions this season and win their third title in five years, they may have to do it without David Ortiz [stats].
After injuring his left wrist during the Red Sox’ victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday night, Ortiz learned yesterday he has tendon sheath damage that will keep him sidelined indefinitely. According to a source, Ortiz’ wrist will be immobilized for roughly the next month to determine whether the injury can heal on its own.
If it cannot, the Red Sox and Ortiz very well may face a harsh reality:
Season-ending surgery.
ARTICLE....
By Mark Bowman / MLB.com
ATLANTA -- Although he's returned to familiar territory, John Smoltz doesn't truly know what the next few days, weeks or months might bring. He expects to experience regular right shoulder discomfort and is quite certain the resulting pain will be easier to tolerate than his limited other options.
When the Braves activated Smoltz from the 15-day disabled list and allowed him to officially begin his second stint as a reliever on Monday night, the 41-year-old wasn't lamenting about the possibility that he may never again be a starting pitcher. Instead, he was feeling fortunate that retirement or surgery weren't his only options.
"This is going to be who I am for the rest of the season and I've come to grips with it," Smoltz said.
MORE....
