ARLINGTON, Texas -- If it's up to manager Ron Washington, Texas Rangers left-handed reliever Robbie Ross won't be used Saturday as a spot starter. Washington said the decision on who starts will be made by a group of Rangers personnel, but the skipper would prefer Ross stay right where he is as a versatile piece in the bullpen.

Alexi Ogando's strained groin means the club will need a starter for Saturday and Washington said they haven't discussed all of the options yet.

"Without ogando down there, he’s the magical piece," Washington said about Ross. "He can do a lot of things. He can give us length. He can give us quality length. He’s just a guy we can use. He can get lefties out and he can get righties out, too.

"He’s been a big part of that bullpen and when we took Ogando out, he was the only versatile piece we had left. You don’t make up for that loss."

So what are the options for Saturday's start then if the club doesn't go with Ross? Michael Kirkman, who was called up from Triple-A Round Rock, has been pitching better since he slightly altered his mechanics about six weeks ago. He's also fully stretched out.

The club could decide to bring up someone from the minors, though depending on what they do they might have to make a move on the 40-man roster. Justin Grimm, who had another quality start Sunday, is a possibility. He's 5-3 with a 2.29 ERA for Double-A Frisco. But do you start him in the big leagues now?

It appears the club won't be trying to rush Roy Oswalt into a start this weekend. He pitches tonight in Frisco, and the plan remains that he will start probably Sunday in Triple-A Round Rock.

Washington said his club must deal with the injuries and move on.

"That’s what you have to do as a team -- someone goes down, someone else has to step up," Washington said. "And we feel like all the personnel we have is quality personnel. We’re certainly not going to mope around, not going to make any excuses. We’re going to show up, we’re going to play and
we’re going to do everything we have to do to win a ballgame.

"We’re going to put the people in there we feel like have to go in there. We’re not going to walk, not going to cry, not gonna shake, not gonna quake. That’s just the attitude you take in the game of baseball. One guy doesn’t make the roster, it's 25 guys. What I have is what I have. That’s who we’re gonna go to war with. We’re not gonna make excuses. That’s just attitude. That’s the way you think about the game.”