PHOENIX -- It was tough to tell what left Ben Sheets more breathless: his successful spring debut or Brett Favre's decision to play at least one more season.

Sheets may be one of the Brewers' biggest Green Bay Packers-backers, but on Thursday his focus was mostly about baseball. The right-handed ace and his surgically repaired lower back passed an important first test, as Sheets tossed a scoreless first inning against Kansas City at Maryvale Baseball Park.

"The only thing different is that I can actually move around a little bit," Sheets said.

He struck out the first batter he faced, Royals right fielder Aaron Guiel. He then plunked Angel Berroa with a first-pitch changeup, struck out Terrence Long and induced an inning-ending groundout from Ken Harvey.

Besides the fact the Brewers lost the game, 6-4, it was by all accounts a successful debut for Sheets, the presumed Opening Day starter on April 4 at Pittsburgh. Manager Ned Yost has yet to make that official, and said Sheets would see the trainers on Friday before getting his next assignment.

"He's a thoroughbred, man," Yost said. "If he's in shape we'll let him go."

Yost and pitching coach Mike Maddux have been especially careful this spring with Sheets, 26, who set a franchise record last season with 264 strikeouts, second in the National League to Randy Johnson's 290, and ranked third in the league with a 2.70 ERA.

Sheets underwent surgery on Oct. 12 to relieve a herniated disk and had been limited in the first weeks of Spring Training. Club officials described it as an overly cautious approach designed to get Sheets to the 75-100 pitch mark by Opening Day.

"It's us that have been holding him back, because he is such a commodity," Yost said. "He'll be ready to go."

Sheets admitted that, before the game, he was nervous.

"Definitely," he said. "I didn't want to get hammered out there."

He did not. Sheets threw fastballs, curveballs and one misguided changeup in his 12-pitch outing. Afterward, Sheets tossed a simulated inning in the bullpen before getting extensive treatment in the training room.

Sheets was pleasantly surprised after his first outing, especially with his curveball.

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"First off, it's Arizona. It never really bites," Sheets said. "I wasn't expecting it to bite. ... I located the ball. That was good to see. I went up [in the strike zone] when I needed to go up. I used the corner of the plate. The back felt good."

Position switch: Is it time to add Bill Hall to the list of Brewers backup outfielders?

Urging reporters to not "make a big deal out of this because it ain't a big deal," Yost said he spoke with Hall on Thursday morning about getting some experience in center field during Spring Training. Hall started Thursday's game at shortstop, his natural position.

"Right now, we've got David [Krynzel] and we've got Brady [Clark], but we'd like to put Billy in the outfield this spring," Yost said. "It gives us another option."

Why Hall?

"Billy is so athletic," Yost said. "Out of everybody that we've got on the infield, he is by far the guy that you can do that with. He is athletic enough to play center field, or to play left field."

Hall said he had only played three games in center field in his whole life -- at Triple-A Indianapolis under then-manager Cecil Cooper. On Thursday, Hall shagged fly balls in center field during batting practice, and Yost said Hall may play center field in a "B" game next week.

"It's something you have build up your arm to," Hall said. "Whatever is going to get me more ABs [at-bats], I'm definitely up for."

On a rope: Right fielder Corey Hart uncorked a strong throw to the plate in the ninth inning on Thursday, a good sign that his right shoulder is feeling strong. Shoulder problems limited Hart late last season, and he had been working on a strengthening program this spring.

"He's really been working with Davey [Nelson, who coaches Milwaukee's outfielders] on his throwing mechanics," Yost said. "His arm is back to normal."

On deck: Yost said he never heard from the San Francisco Giants on Thursday, a sign that Barry Bonds would not be ready to play in Friday's game at Scottsdale Stadium.

The Giants want to use Bonds as a designated hitter during home games while the outfielder recovers from knee surgery. But the opposing team has to say yes to the league-bending experiment, and the Brewers seemed hesitant.

"Nobody's called. Nobody's said nothing!" Yost said. "I'm going to have a pitcher in there."

Gary Glover is scheduled to start for Milwaukee against Giants right-hander Brett Tomko. The Brewers are scheduled to return to Scottsdale Stadium on March 15 to face a Giants split squad.