Wednesday Morning Links: Lots of Australia, Walk-Up Music, Release Clauses, and More

Baseball has officially started, but with two games last weekend in Sydney, Australia that were broadcast locally in Los Angeles and Arizona or on the MLB Network, it didn't really feel like it. Don't worry, the Twins don't have the worst record in the majors right now, and their season hasn't even started! #optimism

Just as a heads up, this week's Morning Links are going to be dominated by Australia, because talking about that is far more interesting than reminding you that Scott Baker is currently a free agent.

• Speaking of games at the Sydney Cricket Grounds, Jeff Sullivan of FanGraphs attempts to determine if the SCG would be pitcher or hitter-friendly. Just so you know, it ended up possibly having more foul territory than Oakland, so imagine how much fun Bert Blyleven would have had if he were calling a game there.
• news.com.au has a piece about life in the American minor leagues, and with a headline that starts with "Drugs, booze, cheap motels..." you have to assume that the Australian's take on it will be good.
• ESPN interviewed nine Diamondbacks pitchers about a pitcher each one of them features. While the insight from the players would normally be enough for most, ESPN also included slo-mo videos of each pitcher and heat maps versus hitters. Now if you excuse me, I'm going to let Bronson Arroyo's leg kick and Brad Ziegler's submarine delivery lull me to sleep.
• There is apparently a new rule that walk-up music may only last 15 seconds at most, which doesn't seem like a big deal to me. Honestly, if I hadn't even found that tidbit, I bet I wouldn't have even noticed the change this year.
• Randy Wolf had originally made the Opening Day roster for the Seattle Mariners until he requested to be cut. Why the odd choice? Because the Mariners wanted him to sign a 45-day waiver that would have allowed the Mariners to release him within 45 days and not be required to pay Wolf his entire 2014 salary. Presumably Wolf thinks he'll be able to get a major league contract from another team instead.