Chipper Jones said he hopes to be in Atlanta's lineup on Tuesday in Houston.
Jones, who will turn 40 later this month, is eligible to come off the disabled list on Tuesday, 15 days after having arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. He will not serve a rehab assignment in the minors.
"I would have gone down for a couple of at-bats, and I just thought it was a waste of time because six at-bats in the minors isn't going to help me be on 95 [mph fastballs] when I get back here," Jones told reporters (via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution). "They might as well just throw me back into the fire."
Jones said manager Fredi Gonzalez and general manager Frank Wren left the decision up to him after he went through a workout on Monday.
The Astros honored Jones before the game, giving him a cowboy hat as a retirement gift. Jones has already stated the 2012 season will be his last.
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