When John Smoltz takes the mound Tuesday against the Nationals needing four strikeouts to reach 3,000, one scout in the Turner Field stands will become a fan.

Former Braves catcher Bruce Benedict, who's in town scouting for the St. Louis Cardinals, was behind the plate when Smoltz collected his first strikeout vs. the Mets on July 23, 1988. He'd like to be a couple feet behind the plate in the stands when Smoltz gets No. 3,000.

"I remember after the game, John wanted everything that I had used in the game — my glove, my shoes — to commemorate his first major league win," Benedict said. "I remember him like he is now, full of energy, full of life, could have pitched a couple games that day I think."

It's easy for Benedict to recognize Smoltz's talent now now, but he said he said the same thing after Smoltz's debut that Sunday in Shea Stadium.

"I think I came into the training room, Bobby Cox [then the general manager] was in there and said 'What did you think?'" Benedict said. "I said, 'Wow. I think you've got a really good one here.' There's no doubt about the fact that he's a special pitcher and a special player. ... He's obviously had to make some adjustments because of arm problems, but the stuff is still there. He's still throws very, very hard."

Twenty years after that first strikeout of Darryl Strawberry and his first major league win, Smoltz said he'd like the ball from strikeout No. 3,000. But otherwise, he's trying not to make a big deal out of this milestone.

"I haven't asked my kids if they want to go," Smoltz said Monday. "I don't even know if they know it's a big deal. That's the way I've approached it. If I was totally healthy and just know I was going seven, eight, nine innings, it may be more in the front of my mind, but — not to be melodramatic — I don't know what I'm going to have each start. I'm more concerned with how to get guys out than I am a number of strikeouts."

The start of Smoltz's season was delayed by soreness in his trapezius (shoulder) muscle and he's pitched only five innings in each of his three starts since. But they've been dominating, including 10 strikeouts in his last start against Florida.

Smoltz, even at 40, still has the propensity to rise to big moments.

"[Three thousand strikeouts] is pretty unique," said Smoltz, who's in line to become the 16th pitcher to do it.

Chipper back in lineup

His sore right quadriceps couldn't keep Chipper Jones out of the lineup Monday, something he decided Sunday, despite leaving that game after aggravating it on the basepaths.

"I feel like I can go out there and temper it as much as possible," said Jones, who'll judge it game by game. "But if it starts barking during the game and there's a situation where I'm on second and my run means the game, then I'm going to be smart enough to let someone else go out there and score."

Jones entered Monday leading the majors with a .458 batting average and riding a 12-game hitting streak. The quadriceps isn't affecting him at the plate, so he doesn't see much merit in a day off.

"I can still get up there and hit; that's not a problem," Jones said. "My presence out there is, I think, worth not taking a day off at this point."

Lineup watch, etc.

Both Mark Kotsay and Kelly Johnson were out of the lineup Monday against left-hander Matt Chico, but Cox said he just wanted to give both of them a breather.

"I was going to give Kelly a rest if Chipper could go," Cox said. "Chipper's in there, so Kelly can take a breather. Kotsay, the same."

Closer Rafael Soriano (elbow) won't come off the disabled list when he's eligible today but activation might not be that far off. He planned to play catch for the second time in four days today and perhaps throw off a mound by the end of the week.