Dodgers’ Carl Crawford is burning hot at exactly the right time

Best give Manager Don Mattingly the benefit of the doubt on this one, because it has most definitely worked out.

When the Dodgers were last at San Francisco is actually when he decided to start playing Carl Crawford regularly in left field and turn Andre Ethier into a reserve.

To that point, Crawford was hitting .242.

There had been little offered to indicate Crawford was ready to go on a roll. He’d spent over a month on the disabled list with a sprained ankle. He was hitting erratically and still looking like a player in search of himself.

Mattingly must have seen something, because Crawford has thrived as the regular left fielder.

“It’s good he’s picked me to be one of the guys to go out there every day,” Crawford said. “He has confidence in me, so that’s a good feeling. I try to do everything I can to go out there and make him look smart.”

Crawford’s making him look like a genius at the moment. He is particularly hot right now, which is to say, at the right time of the season. He had four hits, three of them doubles, Wednesday. It was his third consecutive multi-hit game.

In his last 26 games, Crawford is hitting .434 (36 for 83) with 20 runs, six doubles, three homers and 14 RBI.

“This time of year you want to have your swing right and it seems like it’s coming together for me right now,” Crawford said.

Crawford, 33, has raised his average to .283, with 12 doubles, seven homers, 37 RBI and 22 steals in 93 games.

“Carl will compete, Carl works, Carl is not afraid and Carl just goes,” Mattingly said. “If there’s been any knock on Carl, it’s been that he’s been hurt a few times. When he plays and starts to get going, he’s pretty danged good.”

Crawford had the good timing of having a career-year in 2010, his walk season in Tampa. He hit .307 with 19 home runs, 90 RBI, 13 triples, 30 doubles and 47 stolen bases.

He turned that into a seven-year, $142-million contract with the Red Sox. But his time with Boston was disappointing, capped by left wrist surgery and then left elbow surgery. Last year he went on the DL with a hamstring injury and this season the ankle.

Now, however, he is on his best roll in four years.

“I would say so,” Crawford said. “I’ve been struggling the last few years with injuries, so this year it’s been one of the most positive ones so far.”

Crawford has hit in every position in the lineup but third and cleanup. He has been taking off of late batting mostly sixth, though uncertain if that’s a factor.

“I don’t know, it could be,” he said. “I don’t know if you get a little more relaxed down in the order. It’s a possibility. At the same time, I just try to have my swing ready for wherever I hit in the lineup.”