Crawford in the lineup on his 31st birthday

BOSTONApparently the four-day rehab plan for Carl Crawford has now been officially put out to pasture in Fenways sprawling outfield.

The Sox medical staff had mandated manager Bobby Valentine to rest Crawford after four straight games when the outfielder first returned from the disabled list. But Crawford voiced his desire to play more, and on Sunday -- his 31st birthday -- he will appear in his eighth straight game.

The Sox left fielder is going through one of the high points of his turbulent two years in Boston, and his manager wants to capitalize.

It was all part of a rehab process because we wanted to make sure that he was ready to go. Once he passed all those tests then wed play it day-by-day, said Valentine. Hey, its his birthday. The least he can do is play today.

Crawford has seven extra base hits in his last eight games and a 1.000 OPS in four games during the month of August so it would be unwise to take birthday boys hot bat out of the lineup.

It would be similarly unwise not to play Crawford on his birthday as hes 10-for-30 with a double and his three homers in his last seven games on Aug. 5. He'll bat second between Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia.

Hes playing great. Hes swinging the bat well and doing everything we need him to do in the outfield and on the bases, said Valentine. If he needs a day then hell get one just like anybody else, but right now theres nothing restricting him.