Free Republic

A day after Tanner Scheppers reported he was unavailable after being “sucker-punched” while leaving a Cleveland restaurant, a different version of the story is being reported, as well. In it, Scheppers was the instigator in a fight at a Cleveland restaurant/bar at approximately 2:30 a.m.. He was one of three Rangers at Pannini’s, along with reliever Joe Nathan and catcher A.J. Pierzynski. According to an unnamed source in local weekly Cleveland Scene, Scheppers “lost a bar fight. He had 10 chances to walk away before this happened.”

Life on the road can be dangerous for professional athletes. Unfortunately for Texas Rangers reliever Tanner Scheppers, he found that out the hard way after the team arrived in Cleveland on Thursday night for their weekend series against the Indians. According to Drew Davison of the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram, Scheppers was attacked by a group of young males in downtown Cleveland after going out for a food run. The assault took place about two blocks away from the team's hotel, and as a result Scheppers was unavailable to pitch on Friday night after suffering a laceration near his left eye...

<p>Texas Rangers RHP Tanner Scheppers was not available in Friday’s extra-inning loss to Cleveland because he was dealing with the after-effects of being attacked by “several young males,” on a street two blocks from the team hotel Thursday night.</p> <p>Scheppers said he was out getting food Thursday night when he was attacked and “sucker-punched.” He did not recall the time, but did contact the police. A report was not filed after Scheppers said police told him it was unlikely that anybody would be apprehended.</p>