Nothing at WFAN is official until we say it’s official…but this is official: John Jastremski is leaving WFAN on April 2, headed to The Ringer podcast network.
A sad day for all of us here, and JJ joined fellow Syracuse alum Craig Carton and Evan Roberts to officially announce the news at the end of Monday’s Carton & Roberts Show.
“It’s been a nine-year run here, which is hard to believe. I started when I was 23, and you were doing the morning show here Craiggy as I cut my teeth,” JJ said. “But, this is the next chapter for me. It’s been a great run and I’m happy for my success and time here, but it’s time to see where this can take me.”
Jastremski was under contract to WFAN for longer than that, but was given the opportunity to pursue this offer and leave the fold.
“I’m okay with the way everything worked out. I think everything happens for a reason,” he said.
Of course, JJ did have to give his fellow Orange some dap, as it was some of Craig’s advice that helped Jastremski, who joined the station after taking part on the Fantasy Phenom contest, find his voice.
“You told me it was lazy to take a call coming back from a break. Talk for a few minutes, original content baby!” JJ laughed. “But I’ll never forget that I was a year or two into the biz, and you came into the studio at like 4:40 A.M. I was worried, wondering what was going on…but you sat down and said to me, ‘find your voice, you have to be you.’ People know I’m wacky and zany, but in many ways, I’ve tried to listen to every individual here, hear what they have to say, and make the most of that. I won’t agree with everything you have to say, but it’s helped me find my voice, and I’ve made a career for myself.”
One of the podcasts JJ will be doing for The Ringer revolves around sports betting, which he of course had been doing here on WFAN with Odds on Sports most weeknights. That, however, did draw some more advice from Craig, wanting to make sure that John doesn’t succumb to the same troubles he did.
“I hope you do this responsibly. It is one of my concerns that as a young guy, you’re being thrust into an environment where you’re being forced to wager on sports you might not otherwise wager on,” Craig said. “My fear is you get yourself in a spot where it gets out of control, so take heed of that.”
“Craiggy, I appreciate that, and we’ve seen what you have been able to overcome. I try to do it responsibly, and it’s something I enjoy doing – but it’s something I’m aware of,” JJ replied. “I’ve been doing a gambling show five days a week for months, and I will say these are leans, I’m not playing all these games. I want to be forward and not be a used car salesman. Everybody is going to be different with every vice, but you have to be aware of your means and threshold, before it becomes a problem.”
On a lighter note, Evan did have to give JJ one last ribbing about the time he struck JJ out in a Twitter Baseball game, and signed a baseball that said “I put the K in Jastremski” on it.
“Evan, how many times do I have to hear about this strikeout? You think I’m good at baseball or something? You’d think you struck out Pete Rose!” JJ said. “By the way, there were two foul balls, and on a 3-2 count…do you take a walk in an exhibition game? No, I swung the bat and I missed. And Evan, O believe I took that baseball and Byung-Hyun Kimmed it and chucked it like 500 feet!”
JJ shot back with one for Evan, referencing his experience with SNY and the coming Carton & Roberts simulcast by saying that “if they can put me on TV, they can put Evan on TV!”
But in the end, JJ wanted to thank all of the WFAN listeners, and everyone behind the scenes, for nine great years of gettin’ it all rollin’.
“Everyone at WFAN has been great, everyone out there…I can’t thank you all enough.”
Due to NCAA basketball coverage, it will be a true JJ After Dark on Monday night, as he won’t be on until after midnight – but be sure to check our WFAN Shows schedule page to see when JJ will be on as he runs out his two weeks’ notice, and be sure to tune in promptly at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 2 as JJ After Dark goes dark, and John Jastremski’s days at WFAN come to an end.
And, you can listen to JJ's entire farewell on Carton & Roberts below!
Follow WFAN's afternoon team on Twitter: @CartonRoberts, @EvanRobertsWFAN, @TommyLugauer, and @CMacWFAN
Follow JJ on Twitter: @john_jastremski
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