Shields makes progress

MINNEAPOLIS -- Finally, some good news on the Angels pitching front. Setup man Scot Shields made significant strides during a 31-pitch simulated game Tuesday and will begin a rehabilitation assignment for triple-A Salt Lake at Las Vegas on Thursday.

“He warmed up nice, the ball came out of his hand well, he threw some good curves and changeups . . . he felt good,” pitching coach Mike Butcher said. “It’s very encouraging to see him take a step in the right direction.”

Shields spent most of the spring trapped in a Bob Dylan song: “No Direction Home.”

The right-hander, slowed by a sore shoulder, didn’t pitch in a game until March 13, and when he finally did, his mechanics were out of whack.

Shields struggled with his command, walking the first batter he faced on four pitches in three appearances, and then was shelved because of forearm tightness, an injury that forced him to join three other pitchers on the 15-day disabled list.

While Shields was throwing last week, Butcher noticed a flaw, a little kick of his lower left leg, that was causing Shields to fall slightly toward the first base side during his delivery.

Shields corrected it, and “now, everything seems in sync, a lot smoother,” he said. “No more karate kick for me.”

Shields, whose second-half struggles in 2007 (7.36 earned-run average) were in stark contrast to his first half (1.70 ERA), said his forearm “is not an issue now.” Nor did the veteran seem to think his arm trouble would make him any less durable.

It’s possible Shields could pitch once for Salt Lake and be activated for Sunday’s game against Texas. Or, he could pitch twice and join the Angels early next week.

No matter when he returns, Butcher is more confident Shields will resemble the first-half pitcher from 2007, not the second-half version.

“He looks right to me,” Butcher said. “He’s doing a lot more things correctly than I’ve seen him do in a long time, he’s a lot more understanding of what he needs to do.”

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No more Mr. Nice Guy.

That was the theme Tuesday for Torii Hunter, the former Minnesota Twins star who may have let his emotions get the better of him during his return to the Metrodome on Monday.

“Today I’m fighting, I’m getting [ticked] off for no reason,” the Angels’ center fielder said before the game. “Not to my teammates or anybody on my side, but I don’t want to speak to anybody, I’m growling at everybody, trying to make myself not approachable.”

That didn’t last long. Hunter showed the Twins plenty of love during a pregame ceremony in which Minnesota Manager Ron Gardenhire presented Hunter with his seventh Gold Glove Award, tapping his fist to his chest and pointing into the Twins dugout.

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John Lackey, on the DL because of a triceps strain, will be re-examined by Dr. Lewis Yocum when the team returns to Anaheim this weekend. The Angels ace, who has been playing long toss, could begin throwing off a mound next week.

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mike.digiovanna@latimes.com