Carl Crawford is waiting for his left elbow to hit rock bottom. Considering the lack of improvement after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection in late April, the Red Sox outfielder has been told by doctors that he likely will need Tommy John surgery to repair his damaged ulnar collateral ligament. So why is Crawford waiting for surgery? "Thought about it," he said, "but at this point, if I can play, I think (the Red Sox) want me out on the field. I'm just trying to do everything I can to get back out on the field. Right now, I feel like if I couldn't help the team I wouldn't get out there." Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington said surgery is "not something we are looking at right now." It will be considered only if Crawford's elbow doesn't respond over a longer period of time. "Probably at some point it's going to blow out on me," Crawford said. "It's one of those things that is what it is."