O's excercise option on Ayala, decline option on Reynolds, add Clark to 40-man roster

The Orioles today announced that they have exercised the 2013 club option on right-hander Luis Ayala and declined their 2013 option on infielder Mark Reynolds, who remains arbitration eligible. Ayala, 34, went 5-5 with a 2.64 ERA (75.0IP, 22ER) in 66 appearances for the O's in 2012, allowing one earned run or fewer in 59 outings. Reynolds, 29, batted .221/.335/.429 with 23 home runs and 69 RBI in 135 games in his second season with the Orioles. He has hit at least 20 home runs in each of the last five seasons. The Orioles also today announced that they have selected the contract of Delaware native and former University of Maryland Baltimore County pitcher Zach Clark. Clark, 29, went a combined 15-7 with a 2.79 ERA (167.2IP, 52ER) in 28 games (26 starts) for Double-A Bowie (20G/19GS) and Triple-A Norfolk (8G/7GS) in 2012. Born and raised in Delaware, Clark was signed by Orioles scout Dean Albany as a non-drafted free agent in 2006 out of UMBC. He has gone 49-44 with a 3.68 ERA (758.0IP, 310ER) in 171 games (116 starts) in seven years in the O's system. Clark is one of a number of local players the Orioles have drafted or acquired in recent years. Sander Beck (University of Maryland College Park), Glynn Davis (Northeast High School), Josh Hader (Old Mill High School), LJ Hoes (St. John's High School), Steve Johnson (St. Paul's High School) and Joe Saunders (Virginia Tech) have all made contributions to the organization at the minor and major league levels. With these moves, the Orioles have 36 players on the 40-man roster, in addition to five players on the 60-day disabled list.