"It's either a new beginning or the beginning of the end for pitcher Scott Kazmir.

Kazmir, 27, returned to Anaheim from his stay at the Angels' extended spring training facility in Arizona, where he spent more than a month trying to work through mechanical and mental issues that have changed him from being a two-time All-Star into a pitcher on the verge of being released.

He will begin a rehab assignment Tuesday when he starts for Triple-A Salt Lake against the Memphis Redbirds in a Pacific Coast League game. The Angels have 30 days from Tuesday's start to decide whether Kazmir will rejoin the big-league club, but it figures the Angels will have their answer sooner than that.

Kazmir's problems have been wide-ranging, but it centers on a loss of fastball command and velocity, as well as his mental approach. He said he feels his time in Arizona has helped him address his issues, but he didn't want to be specific.

"I want to be pretty vague about that," said Kazmir, who gave up five runs in 13 innings of his only big-league start this season on April 2. "That's what got me in trouble before. I'd think and think what might've been the problem and I'd go from one thing to another.

"I want to go out there and be myself, and just think about throwing to the mitt."

Kazmir said it wasn't easy to spend such a long period of time away from the team and fix his problems, but he said he knows it was the right thing to do."