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GREENSBORO — The Grasshoppers players are actually enjoying baseball.

For athletes, games become jobs, and as in any workplace some can take that too seriously. While player development is one reason the minor leagues exist, the work can overtake some players to the point where it is detrimental to the team.

"At this level, guys can get consumed with their own careers," said Hoppers manager Andy Haines, adding that his group this year is different. "These guys really love playing with each other."

They have at least two more games to play together, possibly more, as the Grasshoppers begin a best-of-three playoff at home tonight against the Hickory Crawdads in the South Atlantic League's Northern Division series.

"I've been on several teams," said pitcher Kyle Winters, "there's always a mentality that you have to look out for yourself."

His teammates have bonded to push each other more than a typical minor league team, he said.

"Everybody likes each other so much and gets along so well and just wants us to do well," Winters said.

Winters watched from the bench during the 10-inning playoff clincher against Kannapolis on Monday, a game that actually caused Winters to get nervous.

"I've never been nervous," he said.

For pitchers who aren't seeing an inning of play in a game, that's uncharacteristic. It's a sign of unity among the teammates.

"It's fun," Winters said, "and that's really one of the most understated things about it. This team does have fun playing the game."

Amid all that fun, Haines said, not much else will be different for the playoffs.

"We talked about how we've basically been in our playoffs for the last three weeks," he said, "as far as our concentration."

Rett Varner will start tonight's game for the Hoppers. James Leverton will start Game 2 on Friday in Hickory, and Winters will pitch if a third game is needed. The series winner will play the winner of the Southern Division series between Savannah and Augusta for the South Atlantic title.

"This is an awesome group of guys," said Katie Dannemiller, vice president of baseball operations for the Hoppers. "This is what's fun. These guys deserve to go to the playoffs."

This is the first trip for the Hoppers franchise and the city's first playoff team in the minors since 1999.

Their key to winning more games may exist in how they got here.

"We just didn't really have anything to lose," Winters said. "We knew we had to win a lot of games and it kept us relaxed in the clubhouse."

Contact Gerald Witt at 373-7008 or gerald.witt@news-record.com