Andrew Stetka: Sizing up the O's potential playoff foes

In just over a week, the Orioles will dive into the postseason for the second time in three years. In 2012 there was a happy-to-be-here mindset, maybe not with the team, but definitely with the fan base. Things are different this time. There is an expectation. There won't be a one-game wild card playoff for the O's. They are guaranteed a five-game series in the American League Division Series and are going to have home field advantage. The only thing that remains unclear entering the final week of the season is who they will face in that series, and possibly beyond. Here's a look at the potential opponents.

Detroit Tigers: The Tigers own a 1 1/2-game lead in the American League Central with seven games left. Detroit is the team that I fear most throughout the AL. They have a plethora of starting pitching, led by three former Cy Young winners. Max Scherzer, David Price and Justin Verlander can strike fear into the hearts of any lineup, even one as fearsome as the Orioles'. The Tigers also have the two-time reigning AL MVP in Miguel Cabrera, who has had a down year by his standards, but is hitting .437 with six homers in the month of September. Apparently he's healthy again, and that's dangerous. The one weak spot for the Tigers is their bullpen. There has been no consistency from the start, something that was supposed to be provided from closer Joe Nathan. Late-inning comebacks are always a chance against Detroit relievers. The Tigers seem the most likely opponent for the Orioles at this point in the ALDS, but a lot can change over the final week.

Kansas City Royals: The Royals trail the Tigers in the AL Central, but currently hold the second wild card spot by 1 1/2 games. Kansas City is a team that's designed on pitching, pitching and more pitching. Their rotation anchored by James Shields is one of the best and the bullpen has performed very well with Greg Holland shutting the door late. K.C. has very little to offer offensively. They rank in the bottom half of the league in runs and are in the bottom 10 when it comes to slugging percentage. The Royals are also somewhat hampered by manager Ned Yost, who always seems to be making the wrong move. He's highly scrutinized and could actually be a disadvantage in the postseason.

Oakland Athletics: The Athletics had been looked at as a World Series favorite for most the season, especially after acquiring Jeff Samardzija, Jason Hammel and Jon Lester prior to the trade deadline. Now the A's are just hanging on for dear life atop the wild card standings. Oakland has been one of the worst teams in baseball since early August. They can't seem to hit, have a ton of injuries throughout the lineup and have a few issues in the bullpen. The rotation has been pretty good, especially with Lester, but if they can't score enough runs, they won't pose much of a threat.

Seattle Mariners: The Mariners sit 1 1/2 games behind the Royals in the wild card chase, but have seven chances to make up ground this week. Seattle has the two-headed monster in the rotation known as Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma. They present a strong pitching staff and a bullpen that is anchored by Fernando Rodney. Similar to Kansas City, the Mariners struggle a bit with the bats. Robinson Cano has had a good season, but can't push the M's into the top 20 in most offensive categories. If the Mariners push into the postseason, they will rely on the arms to get by.

Los Angeles Angels: The Angels are still being chased by the O's for the best record in baseball. The two teams are almost a lock to not see each other until a possible American League Championship Series meeting. It's scary how similar the Halos are to the Orioles. Both teams present a bruising lineup, solid starting pitching and rock-solid bullpens. The Angels had to re-tool their 'pen before the trade deadline, but Huston Street at the back end has made a big difference. The one thing that could hurt the Angels is injury issues. They've already lost Garrett Richards from their rotation, and Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton have battled injuries all season long. The other thing the Orioles would have going for them in a series with the Angels is confidence after going 4-2 during the regular season against them.

Those are the most likely opponents for the Orioles this postseason. Who do you want to see?

Andrew Stetka blogs about the Orioles for Eutaw Street Report. Follow him on Twitter: @AStetka. His thoughts on the O's appear here as part of MASNsports.com's continuing commitment to welcome guest bloggers to our little corner of cyberspace. All opinions expressed are those of the guest bloggers, who are not employed by MASNsports.com but are just as passionate about their baseball as our roster of writers.