"STARS" and what they mean-Markus
 

Originally posted by Markus Heinsohn
OK guys, I am back from vacation. I checked the boards and feel that it'd be a good thing to explain the star rating a little in detail...

Gold stars=Major league player
Blue stats=Prospect

The star rating rates players against the other players of the leagues at the same position. Stats are not used here, just the ratings, which are calculated into one single value number.
Here are the breakdowns:

45% - infinitly better than the league average at the position: 5.0 Stars
30% - 45%: 4.5
20% - 30%: 4.0
10% - 20%: 3.5
0% (average) - 10%: 3.0
worse 15% to average: 2.5
worse 25% to 15%: 2.0
worse 30% to 25%: 1.5
worse more than 30%: 1.0 Stars

Sometimes even the best players at their position are not better than 45% than the league average, so at times there may be no 5.0 star players at talent-loaden positions!

Prospects are rated differently, using a rather complex formula that does not use the league average, but solely the talent ratings + other ratings like speed, range, duration etc.