UPDATE, 6:50: Manager Joe Maddon and executive VP Andrew Friedman were, predictably, not as optimistic about Crawford's status, saying they coudn't gauge his progress until knowing how he comes through the Saturday and Sunday.

Friedman said it was "definitely possible" that Crawford could be ready to play Wednesday or Thursday, but "I'm not that optimistic.''

Lineups:
RAYS
Iwamura, 2b
Upton, cf
Pena, 1b
Longoria, 3b
Floyd, dh
Navarro, c
Gross, rf
Hinske, lf
Bartlett, ss
Sonnanstine, p

TIGERS
Granderson, cf
Polanco, 2b
Ordonez, rf
Cabrera, 1b
Sheffield, DH
Thames, lf
Larish, 3b
Sardinha, c
Santiago, ss
Verlander, p

UPDATE, 4 PM: Crawford said he may be back in the lineup for the playoffs, after all.

He was cleared by his doctor to swing at will, and said he will take full batting practice on Saturday. Crawford said his surgically repaired right hand feels "100 percent.''

"The doctor said I was good to go,'' Crawford said. "Right now they just have me on a program hitting-wise, so it's going real slow with that. I'm just going step-by-step.''

Crawford took swings at tossed balls and off a tee today and said Saturday's full batting practice will be a big test. "Once they see how that goes I'll know something else after that,'' he said.

Crawford said he is "definitely" more optimistic about being ready for the playoffs opener on Wednesday or Thursday. "I'm swinging the bat and doing everything right now,'' he said. "They want me to move real slow and cautious, and I'm cool with that because I'm confident things will get better. If it was up to me I'd be playing, but you never know. I don't know what's going to happen. ... It's better news than the other day. ...

"You ask me, I'm 100 percent ready to play. You ask them, I don't know.''

- - - -  -

Though his status for the first round of the playoffs remains unclear, OF Carl Crawford was reinstated from the DL on Friday and could be used tonight as a pinch-runner and/or defensive replacement.

Crawford has been out since Aug. 10, and had surgery Aug. 14 to repair a tendon problem in his right hand. He is hoping to return to the lineup next week for the playoffs but is appears unlikely he will get medical clearance.