* Excellent: An ERA under 2.00 is considered excellent at most high school levels. This indicates a truly dominant pitcher.
* Very Good: An ERA between 2.00 and 3.00 is very good and shows consistent performance.
* Good: An ERA between 3.00 and 4.00 is a solid ERA, indicating a capable pitcher.
* Average: An ERA between 4.00 and 5.00 is considered about average.
* Above Average: An ERA above 5.00 is generally above average and suggests room for improvement.
Important Considerations:
* League Strength: A 3.50 ERA in a highly competitive league might be better than a 2.50 ERA in a weaker league.
* Pitch Count and Innings Pitched: A low ERA over a small number of innings isn't as indicative of skill as a low ERA over many innings.
* Fielding Support: A strong defense behind a pitcher will naturally lower their ERA.
In short, there's no magic number. The context matters significantly. Focus on consistent improvement and comparing the ERA to other pitchers within the same league is more insightful than comparing to a general "good" number.