Roughly nine months ago Kevin Towers talked about Justin Upton, with conversations centered around possibly trading the talented right fielder.

Amazing what time can do.

Now, when the D-backs GM speaks of the 23-year-old, there is a different tone — and focus.

“The more you watch him the more you watch him on an everyday basis the more you appreciate him,” Towers told MLB Network Radio. “I tell you, that defense comes around, he might be one of the best players in the game.”

What is it they say, that sometimes the best trades are the ones you don’t make? This would probably be considered one of those instances.

Upton’s success largely comes from his desire to win, Towers said, which would help to explain the outfielder’s occasional emotional outbursts.

Those, of course, have not been a regular occurrence lately, probably because Upton is playing well and the D-backs are winning.

If that continues the recognition will come Upton’s way.

“It’s not going to be long before this guy’s talked about like some of the great players in our game, and he is really a superstar.”

Upton, after all, is leading the D-backs in virtually every offensive category, and tops the Major Leagues in extra base hits.

You don’t trade away players like that — you build around them. And, whether by plan or luck, that seems to be what the Diamondbacks are doing.

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