When Juan Soto steps to the plate tonight, here's the song that should be played

Tonight, when Juan Soto steps into the batter's box, my ultimate fantasy would be for the Yankee Stadium crowd to sing, in perfect harmony, the great Green Day breakup anthem, "Good Riddance." 

Imagine the moment, echoing from bleachers to baselines...

It's something unpredictable,
But in the end it's right,
I hope you had the time of your life...

It won't happen. It can't. Humanity still doesn't do nuance. What Soto will hear is booing, loud and loathsome, from a crowd that still cannot put adequate words to its betrayal. Unfortunately, the boos will steel him to play harder, to fill his heart with hatred for the fans who once adored him.

He's surely imagined this moment a thousand times. He expects the worst, and he probably won't be disappointed. 

Wouldn't it be nice if we could make him realize the depths of his disloyalty? It's worth noting that many players would have - out of respect to their fans - ruled out signing with their former team's arch-enemy. 

Soto could have made $750 million - more money than he'll ever spend - by signing with any of several other suitors. If so, upon his return to Yankee Stadium, he would have been serenaded with love. Yank fans understand the ways of mercenaries. He could have signed with San Francisco, Seattle, anybody. He didn't have to rub his odious, lustful greed into our faces.  

But Soto is different. His loyalty was to money, and he chased every last thin dime. Then, to escape judgement, he tried to blame a security guard, or the lack of a luxury box - whatever he could conjure. But it was always the money. That's all. 

Instead of boos, he should be reminded of the love and the loyalty that we once bestowed, and which he shat upon. 

I've always loved "Good Riddance" because, as breakup ballads go, it imparts a harsh wisdom on the matter of love gone to shit. 

So take the photographs and still frames in your mind,
Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time,
Tattoos of memories, and dead skin on trial,
For what it's worth, it was worth all the while...

Nobody knew how Soto's time as a Yankee would end. But we never expected this. Wouldn't be something if Soto's greatest season turns out to have been with the team he scorned? His mere presence means the Mets shall never again be able to brand themselves as lovable underdogs. They are a money-made team, featuring the games biggest money-grubber.

Yep. For my money, it was always something unpredictable. But in the end, I think it will be all right. I hope he had the time of his life.