Covering the hometown team is a privilege, and we hope you are coming along with us

The Diamondbacks haven’t been the most consistent franchise from year to year, but one thing is certain: When they are good — or when they even hint at the possibility of being good — fans emerge, sometimes out of nowhere, to support them.

That’s because this is a baseball town — or maybe it’s more like a sleeper baseball town. If the Diamondbacks could ever sustain success for, say, five consecutive years, they might rule the Valley.

They did, briefly, back in the early days of the franchise, in the afterglow of their 2001 World Series title. And these past couple of years have felt like they’re so close to doing it again.

Growing up in Arizona, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to be able to cover my hometown team since 2007. Here at The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we do our best to take you behind the scenes of a baseball season, weaving the big-picture context within all 162-game minidramas.

Here are a handful of noteworthy stories I've been able to write over the past few months. Without our subscribers, these wouldn’t be possible.

• Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick responsibly expands payroll, talks legacy, Dodgers
• Diamondbacks make their move to win another bet on star Ketel Marte
• Diamondbacks see value beyond the field in fearless spokesman Geraldo Perdomo

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Follow the DiamondBacks with Arizona Republic subscription