Upton healthy, content, ready for 'big year'

Published Feb. 12, 2011 3:04 p.m. ET

foxsports

By Jack Magruder
FOXSportsArizona.com

Bad shoulder.

Suddenly touchable in a potential trade.

It could have been Justin Upton's winter of discontent.

He refused to let it become that.

Upton worked to strengthen his left shoulder and let the trade rumors roll off his back, and he said at the annual Fan Fest gathering at Chase Field on Saturday that he is preparing for his most productive season as one of the longer-tenured players on a Diamondbacks' team that underwent a major offseason remake.

"You want to come in every season motivated, but this year is a little different. We have a lot of new faces. We feel like 'KT' (general manager Kevin Towers) has come in and done what he thinks we need to do to win," Upton said.

"I am looking forward to a big year."

It did not have to be that way. After being labeled "untouchable" in middle of last summer while changes rained around him, Upton found himself available in the right