This isn't exactly something easy to google so I figured I'd ask here :)
Hitter is generally easy. ~2 is an average player, ~4-5 is all star territory, ~7+ is MVP territory.
SP though have the whole "#1, #2, #3, #4, #5" deal. So, my question is, what's the WAR of a #1? What's the WAR of a #2?
From playing around with calculating WAR (From Fangraph's primer), here's roughly what I came up with for a NL SP this season (off of 180 IP, which would be 30 starts at 6 IP per start. I believe this is the equiv of 150 games played for position players, correct me if wrong, I tried to figure it out myself):
#5 = 4.60-5.10 ERA/FIP (0-1 WAR) (aka, bad bench player)
#4 = 4.60-4.10 ERA/FIP (1-2 WAR) (aka, good bench player)
#3 = 3.70-4.10 ERA/FIP (2-3 WAR) (aka, average starter)
#2 = 3.30-3.70 ERA/FIP (3-4 WAR) (aka, above average starter)
#1 = 2.50-3.30 ERA/FIP (4-6 WAR) (aka, all star)
Cy Young/ACE/whatever = Sub-2.50 ERA/FIP (6+ WAR) (MVP candidate)
That look about right?
My main reason for asking actually has to do with prospect grades. I like John Sickel's system, but using projected WAR to give grades. So for instance, for SP, it's roughly
#5 = C
#4 = C+
#3 = B-
#2 = B
#1 = B+
ACE = A
I guess the main that is it takes a 4.10 ERA to be the equiv of a average position player is just kinda hard to take. For grading system, maybe something closer to
5/C = -0.5 - 0.5
4/C+ = 0.5 - 1.5
3/B- = 1.5 - 3
2/B = 3 - 4.5
1/B+ = 4.5 - 6
ACE/A = 6+
?
That'd instead give
5/C = 4.85-5.30
4/C+ = 4.35-4.85
3/B- = 3.70-4.35
2/B = 3.10-3.70
1/B+ = 2.50-3.10
ACE/A = Sub-2.50
Does that look better?
Obviously this is really objective, but I figured this would be a nice place for open discussion regarding it.