In an era of $700 million contracts and players chasing every last dollar, here's a breath of fresh air.

Pete Crow-Armstrong is keeping it real about contract talks. The Cubs' rising star says he's "cool with being under team control" because he plays the game for one reason: "I like beating other people."

Let that marinate for a second.

PCA is set to make around $820,000 in 2026 - league minimum. Recent extensions for young outfielders like Corbin Carroll (eight years, $111 million) and Jackson Merrill (nine years, $135 million) show what he could command. We're talking generational wealth. Life-changing money.

His response? "League minimum ain't too fucking bad."

I love this kid.

Don't get me wrong - PCA isn't turning down big money forever. He's not stupid. He says "the money will be life-changing regardless." But here's what makes him special: he's thinking about the next generation. He wants to "get a fair deal so I don't fuck the market up" for other center fielders.

When's the last time you heard a player worry about not inflating the market for his peers? That's mature. That's thoughtful. That's someone who understands he's part of something bigger.

And that competitive fire? That's what I want in my ballplayers. Crow-Armstrong plays like an NFL linebacker, according to his coaches. He admitted he "comes off like a douche sometimes" because of his intensity. He's thrown equipment in frustration and knows he needs to work on it.

But man, give me that passion any day over someone who's just collecting a paycheck.