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Nationals-Pirates Preview

Aug 1, 2009 - 3:46 AM By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA STATS Senior Writer

Washington (32-70) at Pittsburgh (43-58), 7:05 p.m. EDT

Even prior to their recent trades, the Washington Nationals and Pittsburgh Pirates clearly didn't have enough pieces yet to contend. Their former first basemen, however, were considered worthy of helping playoff-caliber teams.

With the Nationals having traded Nick Johnson little more than a week after the Pirates dealt Adam LaRoche, the two last-place clubs continue a four-game series Saturday night at PNC Park.

Washington (32-71), which has the worst record in the major leagues, sent Johnson to Florida on Friday in exchange for pitching prospect Aaron Thompson. On July 22, Pittsburgh (44-58) traded LaRoche to Boston, which proceeded to ship him to Atlanta prior to Friday's trade deadline.

Veteran slugger Adam Dunn has taken over at first base for the Nationals, while former right fielder Steve Pearce now mans that spot for the Pirates.

Johnson was in the final season of a three-year, $16.5 million deal, so Washington was willing to part with the last remaining player from the franchise's days as the Montreal Expos.

Though the Nationals are on pace to lose more than 100 games for the second straight season, general manager Mike Rizzo is confident they don't need much more time to become competitive.

"We are in the building process," Rizzo said. "We are not rebuilding. This is a team that is, in my opinion, not far away from being a good, solid baseball team.

"I understand we've got holes to fill, we've got a lot of work ahead of us this season, this offseason and through spring training. But I feel like we're prepared for it, we're going to get it right, and I do not believe that this needs total rebuilding."

The Pirates, meanwhile, have been consistently shedding veteran talent over the past two seasons, trading away LaRoche, Nate McLouth, Jack Wilson, Freddy Sanchez, Jason Bay, Ian Snell, Xavier Nady, Ronny Paulino, Nyjer Morgan and Jose Bautista.

Reliever John Grabow was the latest to leave Pittsburgh, getting dealt to the Chicago Cubs on Thursday. On Wednesday, Sanchez was sent to San Francisco and Wilson to Seattle.

The Pirates traded Morgan to the Nationals for Lastings Milledge on June 30. Milledge - a onetime top outfield prospect for the New York Mets - made his Pittsburgh debut in this series' opener, driving in two runs Friday as Pittsburgh snapped a five-game losing streak with a 5-4 victory.

The Nationals had demoted Milledge to the minors earlier this season. He went 2 for 4 to help the Pirates earn their fifth win in seven home games.

"He got off to a good start," Pirates manager John Russell said of Milledge. "You get that first hit out of way ... it makes you feel pretty good. He's a very good player. He's a guy we like."

On Saturday, Pittsburgh will face Washington starter Craig Stammen (3-5, 4.46 ERA), who allowed five runs and nine hits in 4 2-3 innings of Washington's 14-6 loss to Milwaukee on Monday night. The rookie right-hander had been 2-2 with a 2.15 ERA in his previous four starts.

Stammen has never faced Pittsburgh.

The Pirates will counter with Virgil Vasquez (1-5, 6.21 ERA), who has lost five straight starts since earning his first major league victory against Kansas City on June 26. The right-hander lasted just three innings in his last outing, giving up four runs and six hits as Pittsburgh lost 9-0 to Arizona on Sunday.

Vasquez has never faced the Nationals.