Most baseball teams allocate the bulk of their budgets to paying salaries, medical expenses and acquiring new players. In all actuality, paying a top surgeon to repair a pitcher’s throwing arm is still less than penning a new contract with a fresh player. This may be why only three teams in all of major baseball have invested in biomechanical analysis technology – a measure that could help prevent injuries. For most teams the gamble pays off, but if a star player is injured management must scramble for a suitable replacement. And that usually means paying big bucks. Long story short – as long as it is cheaper to replace injured players than it is to invest in biometrics systems, most teams won’t be changing their strategies.

After Microsoft unveiled the newest addition to the Xbox 360, instant potential was seen in this inexpensive technology for the purpose of movement simulation and analysis in baseball. The Kinect already utilizes a no frills version of what many technologically advanced biomechanical departments make use of. The Kinect’s infrared camera works by spacial displacement, which works to track a subject’s movement and send that data back to the console. For Microsoft, the gamer transforms into the controller itself, but for baseball, this could be a major breakthrough. If major league baseball makes the initial investment in biometric software development, it will no longer to cheaper to replace injured players rather when compared to preventative measures. The Kinect in it’s current form already has the capabilities for measure the swing and pitch of gamers, so the switch to professional athletes probably wouldn’t take much effort.