New software for ballfield

There's nothing better than being at the game, but now there's something close.

Mat-Su Miners organization coordinator Mark Alger bought a software package for $50 (that includes lifetime upgrades), and now Miners fans can watch the game on the Internet.

The program is called "Fixed It." Alger, along with volunteers Andy and Josh Rockey, have fixed it so that every one minute the program takes a snapshot from behind the plate and posts it on the matsuminers.org Web site.

That's not all. Every two minutes the software also updates a play-by-play and a box score for fans to read.

"It's updated not pitch by pitch, but player by player," Alger said. "We found each player takes somewhere around two minutes (at the plate)."

That would be on average. Of course that time period can vary fairly drastically, depending on how many pitches a player takes.

Viewing the game goes something like this — A viewer brings up the Web site and clicks on "Watch Game," then on "Live Scoreboard." A screen comes up with a box score on one side and a play-by-play text on the other. Every time the site is refreshed with new information (every two minutes or so) the screen flashes off for an instant and when it comes back on, it might say something like, "Griffin walks, bases loaded, bottom of the ninth. This is what it's all about folks!"

The first line is automatically added by the software, when one of the technicians — one of the Rockey brothers, or Alger himself — highlights Griffin's name and, with just a click of the mouse, puts him on first. The second line is typed into a message box by one of the techs as a personal touch.

When Alger or one of the brothers puts a man on first, the software will ask how he got there — hit? walk? bunt? Likewise, when there's a play on the field, it will ask what the play was — fly out? grounder? double play?

Alger made sure the play-by-plays' most recent info is always at the top of the page so the user doesn't have to scroll down to see it.

"So it's always on the last play," Alger said.

To see the snapshot live, click on "Watch Game," then "Live Game Cam."

Once the game is over, the whole thing is moved to a section that's archived by date.

On top of the $50 for software, it cost the organization another $230 for camera equipment. A wireless signal is carried from the camera to a bay station that's plugged into Alger's laptop. Alger said the site got about 2,200 hits in its first couple of weeks.

He started it mainly for the players' parents, who are out of town and can't watch the games live. But in the future, he's hoping to create a recruitment page, where players can post résumés, and coaches and scouts can find information.

Alger said he'd really like to get the whole league plugged into the software. The Fairbanks Goldpanners have something similar, but with video that's much more advanced, as well as audio.

"It's in case you can't make it to the park," he said. "But still, there's nothing like going to the field."