import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
fig = plt.figure(figsize=(2,2))
ax = fig.add_subplot(111)
ax.plot([1,2],[5,7])
ax.set_xticks([1,2])
ax.set_xticklabels(["up","down"])
ax.set_xlim([0,3]) # get the ticks closer together
plt.tight_layout()
fig.savefig("ticks_std.pdf")
fig.savefig("ticks_std.pgf")
for lab in ax.xaxis.get_ticklabels():
    lab.set_verticalalignment("baseline")
fig.savefig("ticks_base.pdf")
fig.savefig("ticks_base.pgf")
for lab in ax.xaxis.get_ticklabels():
    lab.set_verticalalignment("top")
fig.savefig("ticks_top.pdf")
fig.savefig("ticks_top.pgf")

\documentclass{standalone}
\usepackage{tikz}
\begin{document}
\begin{tabular}{ccc}
\input{ticks_std.pgf} & \input{ticks_base.pgf} & \input{ticks_top.pgf} \\
\includegraphics{ticks_std.pdf} & \includegraphics{ticks_base.pdf} & \includegraphics{ticks_top.pdf}
\end{tabular}
\end{document}