SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Four at-bats, a pair of strikeouts, a hard, bouncing single, and -- yep -- a rocket-shot two-run homer.

That's been Giants star Barry Bonds' Cactus League box score through Sunday over two games, and now ever so slowly, but inexorably, the outfielder will increase his playing time, boosting the tempo and emotion and adrenaline.

Only then will Bonds know if he's ready for the real season or not.

Even if it's only mental make-believe for a while.

"Right now, everything's great, everything's fine," said Bonds, who poked a two-run homer on a Woody Williams curveball in the fifth inning in San Francisco's 10-5 loss to the San Diego Padres at Scottsdale Stadium on Sunday.

"The everyday grind is when I'll know exactly where I am," he said. "That's when you can tell. When the bell rings, that's when the level goes up. There's going to be a time here I'm going to have to pretend there's a real Opening Day season and put a lot of stress on my body and see how I come out of that the next day."

Best time to do that, said Bonds, is in Arizona, and that time will probably be toward the end of Spring Training when his body is nearly fully conditioned for a full Major League campaign.

And when will that be?

"Whenever I'm ready," said Bonds.

Although Bonds' name wasn't in the original lineup posted in the clubhouse -- there was initial talk that the outfield might be too wet from Saturday's rains -- he later was inserted in the cleanup spot after trainers reported him fit.

Bonds wasn't even aware of the lineup change, declaring, "Unless somebody tells me otherwise, I'm putting on my uniform to play."

Sunday was Bonds' first game playing left field, and despite running quickly for a short fly that was caught by shortstop Jose Vizcaino, he never touched a ball defensively.

"Thank God," he said with a laugh.

Manager Felipe Alou said he was more concerned with the cold weather than a wet field regarding Bonds' play, and reiterated that the man with 708 lifetime homers will be the designated hitter when the Giants host Texas in Scottsdale on Tuesday.

Bonds will not travel to Tucson on Monday in the Giants-Diamondbacks contest at Electric Park.

While Bonds has yet to test his aging knees in a full gallop, he said "just standing around is more aggravating -- my weight's just sitting there."

It's possible he will play the outfield on Wednesday vs. Milwaukee at Scottsdale Stadium.

Getting Bonds' knees game-ready is a necessity, said Alou, explaining with the player not taking trips to Tucson, Surprise and Peoria, his game action will limited.

Bonds said it's difficult to judge his swing at the moment, but tell that to Williams, whose curveball landed in the right-field seats, 380 feet away.

"I don't judge that stuff," said Bonds of his timing and swing. "Sometimes the more days off I get the better."

In his first outfield test, benign as it was, Bonds did complain about the sun's glare making it hard to track flies and liners. But that will come the more he plays.

"You have to make adjustments to be out there," he said.