Carl Crawford is ready for his role

ATLANTA ---- Carl Crawford finished his rehab over the weekend and on Monday there was a locker in visitors' clubhouse with his name on it.

"I just needed to be able to do everything with no pain," Crawford said, "right now I'm at the point where I can do that."

Crawford didn't strain his oblique, it was more serious. "A strained oblique isn't that bad but tearing the muscle off the bone, you don't realize how much you use that muscle," Crawford said, "I had to wait a while before I could do things."

Crawford doesn't anticipate just going in and starting play once he is activated. "The team has been playing great," Crawford said, "pretty sure they'll work me in whenever they can, pinch hits, spot starts, wherever they can."

"It's tough, all the guys have been playing well and you don't want to mess that up, Crawford added, "but at the same time, I definitely want to play, so we'll just have to see how it goes."

Manager Don Mattingly didn't see any problems with getting Crawford some work once he is activated. Mattingly said that he "talked to Carl, at this point he's going to mix and match in."

"I don't plan on doing anything different with Andre, [Ethier's] earned his way this year," Mattingly added "[I've] been up front with Carl with it and [Crawford] understood that Ethier was that guy last year and [Crawford] told me he'll keep working at it and be ready when I need him."

Mattingly indicated that the Dodgers didn't know what move or moves the Dodgers will have to make when they activate Crawford but Mattingly did say it would be tough decision.