Notes: Bagwell sighting in San Diego

Wherever he ends up, it's clear he'll always be at home in the Houston clubhouse. His presence on Tuesday was a breath of fresh air for his teammates, and he looked happy to be back, too.

"When you come in and see the smiles on guys faces ..." Bagwell said. "When you grind it out as long as these guys grind it out, and this year it's been tough, seeing a different face helps once in a while. It's not like it's going to translate into winning, but it brightens up the mood a little bit. Something to talk about."

Bagwell appears to be at peace with the fact that his degenerative right shoulder will probably prevent him from ever playing baseball again. He also sounds ready to begin to explore where he fits into the organziation post-playing career.

Bagwell said it was easier to accept the end of his career now that he's back with his teammates.

"Yeah, I would love to be playing baseball," he said. "I would love to be playing as a healthy 38-year-old, however well I'd be playing. I've been hurt so long. I know I can't play. It's not like I'm dying. I know I can't. There's nothing I can do about that. I've exhausted every avenue I can to try to play."

Bagwell then acknowledged there was one more avenue, presumably surgery, but he added, "There's a big 'if' on that that I have to make a decision on."

Bagwell, in typical fashion, cared not to dwell on his own problems. His focus is on the team he has been with for 15 years -- one that has been struggling for the better part of three months.

"It's hard because I know how hard these guys are trying to play, and with all the adversity they've had so far, that's been hard for me," he said. "I feel for the guys."

Bagwell will be sharing more pain, or possibly joy if things pick up soon, because he's planning to be a semi-regular presence in the clubhouse for much of the remainder of the season.

"I'll probably not travel, but I'd like to spend some more time," he said. "I miss seeing the guys. If I can make fun of somebody to relax them or something like that, kind of like what we used to do, that would be great."

Eventually, he'll talk to the Astros front office about the future. He may get together with his agent, Barry Axelrod, and general manager Tim Purpura sometime this week.

"There's a long way to go to from that to where I'm standing right now," Bagwell said. "We have a lot to talk about. Their ideas, my ideas. We'll see how that all transpires."

For now, he's content bonding with old friends.

"He looks like he's been tanning," Brad Ausmus said. "And like his hair hasn't seen a pair of scissors in about three months."

Berkman healing: Lance Berkman said he has a 50-50 chance of playing on Wednesday after taking three games off to rest his strained left groin injury.

Berkman, who made one pinch-hit appearance but essentially missed the entire weekend series with the Diamondbacks, said he still cannot run at full speed, and if he does play on Wednesday, he will be instructed to not do anything to aggravate the injury in terms of sprinting.

"I hope to play [on Wednesday]," he said.

Ensberg returns: After a successful three-game rehab stint with the Triple-A Round Rock Express, Morgan Ensberg was activated from the disabled list in time for Tuesday's opener in San Diego. To make room for Ensberg on the 25-man roster, right-hander Chris Sampson was optioned to Round Rock.

Ensberg, who was 6-for-12 with two home runs and seven RBIs for the Express, said his right shoulder still feels tight, but a session of long toss every day is helping to break it up.

"That's just the way it's going to be," he said. "I still feel it, but it's definitely manageable. It's in a lot better shape than it was."

Rotating outfield? Manager Phil Garner brought Preston Wilson into his office before the lineup was posted on Tuesday, presumably to tell Wilson that he is now in a pool of outfielders who may or may not start on a regular basis.

Ensberg's return moved Aubrey Huff to right field for Tuesday's game, and Luke Scott, who hit .417 (10-for-24) during the last homestand, is likely going to receive ample playing time in left as well. Willy Taveras started in center, but Chris Burke, who took over at that position for a while, is also going to get his share of at-bats, too.

Ultimately, Mike Lamb, who has played mostly first base this year, is going to move back to the bench once Berkman returns.

"Lamb may have to go to the bench," Garner said. "Lance is not gong to be able to play in the outfield for a while."

Odds and ends: Lamb and his wife, Teresa, welcomed daughter McKayla Marie on Sunday at 7:47 p.m. CT. McKayla weighed 7 pounds, 9 ounces. The couple planned the birth for Sunday specifically because the Astros were idle on Monday. Players can take up to three days off for the birth of a child, but Lamb, who flew to San Diego from Houston on Tuesday morning, didn't take the extra time. "We were planning around the off-day," he said. "As long as there were no complications, I would be here." ... Rookie Matt Albers will start the finale in San Diego on Thursday. Albers has made two relief appearances since being called up from Double-A on July 21. ... Orlando Palmeiro, who has been on bereavement leave for a week following the death of his father, will rejoin the Astros on Wednesday. A subsequent roster move will be made at that time of his return.

Up next: Right-hander Brandon Backe (1-1, 5.82 ERA) takes the mound on Wednesday at 9:05 p.m. CT at PETCO Park in the second game of the series against Woody Williams (4-2, 3.69) and the Padres.