Cleveland Indians sign Joba Chamberlain, apologize for bugs
By John Buhler
The Cleveland Indians sign relief pitcher Joba Chamberlain to a Minor League deal, while simultaneously apologizing for the bugs of Game 2 of the 2007 ALDS.
Game 2 of the 2007 ALDS between the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians will forever go down as the Bug Game, where the Yankees’ promising young reliever Joba Chamberlain had to not only deal with the pesky Indians’ hitters, but also the nagging infestation of flies at Progressive Field. Over eight years later, the Cleveland Indians have agreed to a Minor League deal with Joba Chamberlain, extending an offer to play with the AL Central club in spring training. Cleveland is sorry about the bugs.
We apologize sincerely, @Joba_44, about the bugs. They won't be back, we promise.
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) December 1, 2015
The Cleveland Indians organization “apologizes sincerely” for the Bug Game, October 5th, 2007. Cleveland would go on to win the series with the Yankees three games to one and would take the eventual World Series Champion Boston Red Sox to seven games in the ALCS.
In the Bug Game, Chamberlain had to deal with swarming tiny insects hovering around his head at Progressive Field, throwing only 12 of his 25 pitches for strikes in the Yankees’ 2-1 extra innings defeat at the hands of the Indians. Cleveland was able to tie the game up at one run apiece during Chamberlain’s eighth inning of work. Cleveland won in the bottom of the 11th on a Travis Hafner walkoff single.
The Bug Game had little lingering effect on Chamberlain’s career, who at the time was a former stud prospect out of the University of Nebraska. Chamberlain would help the New York Yankees win the 2009 World Series before leaving the team in 2013. He spent the last two years in Detroit and Kansas City.