

Tanner Scheppers

Here's a statement from Cleveland police spokesman Sammy Morris:

The incident involving Texas Ranger's pitcher Tanner Scheppers did not occur on Public square as originally reported by the media. The preliminary investigation reveals that on Friday, July 26, at approximately 2:30 a.m. Texas Ranger pitcher Tanner Scheppers was involved in a physical altercation at Panini's Bar located on W. 6th Street. Further investigation reveals that the altercation was called in by Downtown Alliance workers and that Third District officers responded to the scene to investigate. Once on scene officers attempted to get information from Scheppers for a report however, he refused to provide information and refused to make a police report. Further, officers called for EMS and he refused medical attention and EMS was disregarded. The officers then conveyed Scheppers and another male to the Ranger's team hotel. There is nothing further at this time.

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Update (9:32 am): If the story of the innocent baseball player sucker-punched on his way to an innocent dinner in Cleveland because Cleveland is just an unsafe city doesn't exactly have that ring of truth to it, it's because it's not true.

Scene spoke to a witness to the "sucker punch," and there are more than a few discrepancies between his story and that of Tanner.

First, it was at 2:30 a.m. outside of Panini's on W. 6th.

Second, Tanner was a verbal instigator. He was with Joe Nathan, A.J. Pierzynski, and, according to our tipster, a bunch of girls. He had been jawing back and forth for a few minutes before the physical altercation took place.

"He lost a bar fight," says the witness. "He had 10 chances to walk away before this happened."

Maybe that's why he didn't file a police report. — Vince Grzegorek

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While in town to face the Indians, Texas Rangers reliever Tanner Scheppers was punched the face on Thursday on his way to dinner near the team hotel. He was "sucker punched by several young males" and knocked to the ground, he said, suffering a black eye and cuts above his nose and wasn't available for last night's game.

The 26-year-old, 6'4, 220-pound pitcher said he didn't file a police report because Cleveland Police "told him it was unlikely that anybody would be apprehended," per the Dallas Morning News.

"They said it happens a lot, actually," said Scheeppers about the police's response to the attack.

The pitcher has pitched 46.2 innings this season with a 1.74 ERA and just 33 hits given up. Excuse me, make that 34.

Read more at the Dallas Morning News.