It's been 31 1/2 months since Mike Hampton participated in a major-league baseball game. Barring rainout or anything else unforeseen, his drought ends Thursday night when the Braves left-hander starts against Pittsburgh.

"I'm sure I'll be a little bit nervous and a little bit anxious," said Hampton, who missed the past two seasons after elbow surgeries. "I've got to get my emotions in check before I go to the mound. I'm looking forward to it."

So are the Braves, who hope the 35-year-old left-hander can return to something resembling his old form. After being traded to the Braves, Hampton went 14-8 in 2003 and 13-9 in 2004.

He was 17-6 with a 2.99 ERA in 30 starts from May 18, 2004, when he threw a complete game but lost against Randy Johnson's perfect game, until May 14, 2005, when he left a game at Los Angeles with a "strained left forearm."

If you forgot how good Hampton was before his injuries, it's understandable. It has been a while.

He last pitched in a regulation game Aug. 19, 2005. Since then, Brandon Webb and Johan Santana had 39 wins apiece before Wednesday. Ryan Howard had 119 home runs. Alex Rodriguez had 311 RBIs.

Jeff Francoeur played in 364 games and recorded 1,440 at-bats.

Hampton, once a 22-game winner and Cy Young Award runner-up, said there was "no chance" he would sleep well Wednesday. Too much nervous energy.

After leaving that May 2005 game at Dodger Stadium, he had more stints on the disabled list (five) than games pitched (four) the rest of that season.

Hampton had "Tommy John" ligament-transplant surgery Sept. 26, 2005, and surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon on April 10, 2007.

The countless hours of rehab were aimed toward this, finally getting back on the mound. Hampton already surprised plenty of people by getting through spring training healthy, with a 2.16 ERA and .238 opponents' average in 16 2/3 innings.

Now, it's for real. The volume level will be raised, as will the adrenaline.

"I'm prepared to be successful," he said.

The Elias Sports Bureau did research to find the last time a pitcher 35 or older won more than 10 games after being out at least two years. It had to go back to 1946 to find one: Schoolboy Rowe was 11-4 for the 1946 Phillies, after missing all of 1944 and '45 serving in the Navy during World War II.

Hampton's lengthy absence has resulted from two elbow surgeries, so it might be considered an even greater feat if he were able to reach double-digit wins.

"Somebody's got to do it," Hampton said, smiling. "World records are broken all the time. People are doing miraculous things."

Johnson out of lineup

Second baseman Kelly Johnson was out of the lineup Wednesday to rest the right knee he aggravated in Monday's home opener. The Braves were off Tuesday.

Martin Prado replaced Johnson and led off the first inning with a triple.

"Kelly's fine, I think," manager Bobby Cox said before the game. "We're going to rest him tonight, for sure. The good thing is, we can use him to pinch-hit anytime. Pretty good weapon to have on your bench for a day or two."

Johnson said his knee has nagged him off and on since 2007 spring training, but worsened in the past week to what he called occasional stabbing pain.

"It's definitely better today," he said Wednesday afternoon. "That one day [off Tuesday] helped tremendously."

Johnson said an MRI on his knee in January revealed no structural damage, and said the Braves' medical staff wasn't certain what is causing his problems. He also repeated his belief that it's a manageable situation that won't disable him.

Etc.

New signee Scott Spiezio hit a homer off Chuck James during the left-hander's six simulated innings of work at Class A Rome on Tuesday. Cox said Spiezio had more than a dozen at-bats in the game. The veteran utility man signed a minor-league contract Monday and will begin the season at Class AAA Richmond this week. If all goes well, he could join the Braves within a few weeks. ... James is scheduled to come off the DL on April 6 and open the season at Richmond.