WAR, or Wins Above Replacement, is one of the most widely used modern metrics in today’s game. Its attempt at quantifying a player’s value in terms of wins, makes it one of the most all-encompassing stats in terms of showing a player’s contribution to his team in all phases of the game. For that reason, it is commonly used in looking at player’s overall performance and the value they provide in relation to other players around the league, and even in assessing contracts and trades.
Now, that’s all fine and dandy, but what even is WAR? Simply stated, WAR is a metric designed to show the amount of wins a given player contributes to his team in relation to the production of a “replacement level” player.