XM has been covering the controversies surrounding the usage of maple bats in the Major Leagues. This morning (06/26) they talked with a representative from the B-45 bat company based in Canada. There is a serious amount of research that went into the engineering behind these Canadian Yellow Birch bats made by B-45 and the results are that they break with far less frequency than the maple or ash bats.
For those looking for a different kind of bat, perhaps this company is worth a look?