To be included in this summary, a rikishi must:
The text below each rikishi's entry is my brief commentary - please try not to take the words too seriously.
Year Rank Win Loss % PR OPR
------------------------------------------------
95 2 57 13 81.4% 14.78 10.07
96 3 43 20 68.3% 13.35 10.61
97 2 58 17 77.3% 14.41 10.31
98 2 54 21 72.0% 12.45 9.54
'97 comments
Akinoshima
Year Rank Win Loss % PR OPR
------------------------------------------------
95 12 27 21 56.3% 9.78 8.84
96 13 46 44 51.1% 9.37 9.20
97 15 41 49 45.6% 8.66 9.33
98 14 36 31 53.7% 8.61 8.47
'97 comments
In '95, he was a sanyaku regular. In '96, he bobbed
from sanyaku to high-maegashira. Now, he's lucky to
get 8 wins at all. His slide should continue, with
about 2 more years until demotion to juryo.
'98 comments
Well, he isn't sliding... but he isn't getting any better
either. I'll stick with my guns - juryo sometime in 2000.
Akinoshu
Year Rank Win Loss % PR OPR
------------------------------------------------
97 27 53 36 59.6% 7.44 6.01
98 43 39 51 43.3% 4.33 5.33
'97 comments
Fairly impressive first full year as a sekitori, but
he's not very young (29), so he has probably reached his
potential.
'98 comments
A little too good for juryo, far too bad for makuuchi.
Aogiyama
Year Rank Win Loss % PR OPR
------------------------------------------------
95 44 30 29 50.8% 6.64 6.51
96 35 37 53 41.1% 7.14 8.47
97 20 39 51 43.3% 7.77 8.77
98 18 41 49 45.6% 7.40 8.07
'97 comments
After spending a lot of time as a marginal maegashira-juryo,
Aogiyama has stepped it up these past two years. This
will probably be his best year; if not, he's had it
already.
'98 comments
With some luck, Aogiyama gets a one basho fling at komusubi.
But this is probably as good as it's going to get for him, which is
better than I expected.
Asahiyutaka
Year Rank Win Loss % PR OPR
------------------------------------------------
95 22 38 37 50.7% 7.66 7.56
96 10 44 46 48.9% 10.28 10.45
97 18 39 51 43.3% 7.92 8.92
98 26 35 55 38.9% 6.13 7.79
'97 comments
If I remember the story correctly, he married his
oyakata's daughter and was told he needed to make
sanyaku if he wanted to inherit the stable. Well,
he was inspired and did just that in '96. I think
now he is at his "comfortable" level, and will not
see much action as a sanyaku rikishi in the future.
'98 comments
His current level of performance is what I expected
out of Asahiyutaka's career. '96 is clearly an anomoly.
Asanosho
Year Rank Win Loss % PR OPR
------------------------------------------------
95 24 38 37 50.7% 7.59 7.49
96 32 39 51 43.3% 7.26 8.26
97 21 31 40 43.7% 7.75 8.70
98 33 45 45 50.0% 5.68 5.68
'97 comments
Looked good early in '97, scoring a 7-8 record from a
tough high-maegashira position. After that, he slid
down the banzuke and got derailed by injuries. Still
trying to find his old form.
'98 comments
Pretty much a non-entity now. Seems like he's lost
quite a bit of strength and vigor.
Asanowaka
Year Rank Win Loss % PR OPR
------------------------------------------------
95 33 30 45 40.0% 7.17 8.67
96 27 42 48 46.7% 7.45 7.95
97 30 40 50 44.4% 7.34 8.17
98 36 43 47 47.8% 5.38 5.72
'97 comments
Does just enough to keep from getting too close to
demotion in juryo. Don't expect any improvement in '98.
'98 comments
I expect at least one return to makuuchi in '99, even
if it is a brief one.
Chiyotaikai
Year Rank Win Loss % PR OPR
------------------------------------------------
96 43 49 41 54.4% 6.68 6.01
97 38 47 43 52.2% 6.87 6.54
98 6 55 35 61.1% 10.66 8.99
'97 comments
People seem to expect a lot out of this kid (he turns
22 in April), but I'm not completly sold. It took
him about two years to get through juryo, and I think
it will be another two years before we see him at his
best.
'98 comments
Shows you what I know. His maturity has paid huge
dividends. A likely ozeki this year.
Chiyotenzan
Year Rank Win Loss % PR OPR
------------------------------------------------
97 59 34 38 47.2% 4.88 5.29
98 40 51 39 56.7% 4.72 3.72
'98 comments
OK, I'll admit it: I know next to nothing about this
guy. "Cool name" is the most insightful thing I can come
up with.
Daihisho
Year Rank Win Loss % PR OPR
------------------------------------------------
95 36 28 23 54.9% 7.06 6.32
96 33 49 41 54.4% 7.26 6.59
97 54 30 42 41.7% 5.43 6.68
98
'97 comments
Looked like he had potential, until suffering a
bad knee injury against Tochinonada in '97. Now
in the bowels of juryo with a low way to recover.
Daishi
Year Rank Win Loss % PR OPR
------------------------------------------------
95 46 30 45 40.0% 6.56 8.06
96 29 43 47 47.8% 7.38 7.71
97 49 35 46 43.2% 6.11 7.13
98 55 42 46 47.7% 3.31 3.66
'97 comments
Looks like the end of the line. Will there be any
hair left to cut at his retirement ceremony? We
might have to wait to '99 to find out.
Daishoho
Year Rank Win Loss % PR OPR
------------------------------------------------
95 29 32 43 42.7% 7.31 8.41
96 26 36 54 40.0% 7.54 9.04
97 60 28 36 43.8% 4.82 5.76
98 49 44 45 49.4% 3.62 3.71
'97 comments
Another case of injury causing a rikishi to plummet in
the rankings. His future is uncertain right now.
Daizen
Year Rank Win Loss % PR OPR
------------------------------------------------
95 59 21 35 37.5% 4.51 6.38
96 42 42 33 56.0% 6.76 5.86
97 58 35 39 47.3% 5.10 5.50
98 51 44 46 48.9% 3.51 3.67
'97 comments
Some might be tempted to say "this is it" for Daizen,
but he's been circuling the drain for 3-Years now.
I say he sticks around for another go around.
Dejima
Year Rank Win Loss % PR OPR
------------------------------------------------
97 6 54 29 65.1% 11.06 8.80
98 11 37 23 61.7% 9.64 8.51
'97 comments
Does #6 seem a little high? Well, he didn't notch
those 54 wins against juryo has-beens. He was in
juryo in January, but spent 4 basho in a position to
face all the top competition. After a bad injury, though,
it will be a great accomplishment just to make it back
to the top 10.
'98 comments
Well, Dejima didn't quite make to the Top 10, but this
was primarily due to injuries. He should be a sanyaku
mainstay for years to come, but he will need a few more
techniques to become an ozeki.
Dewarashi
Year Rank Win Loss % PR OPR
------------------------------------------------
97 57 34 37 47.9% 5.13 5.45
98 41 47 43 52.2% 4.60 4.27
'98 comments
Too fat. Limited repetoire. Take your pick of
reasons why he'll never stay in makuuchi.
Ganyu
Year Rank Win Loss % PR OPR
------------------------------------------------
96 28 46 43 51.7% 7.41 7.15
97 25 40 50 44.4% 7.52 8.35
98 35 33 57 36.7% 5.40 7.40
'97 comments
Is it just me, or does this guy have that "Takanonami"
quality about him, where you just don't like him, and
you just don't think he's very good at all? Well, as
much as I hate to say it, he's not that bad. He'll
probably take the elevator from the high-to-mid maegashira
level for a few years.
'98 comments
It didn't seem like he had that bad of a year. Of course,
I try not to pay too much attention to Ganyu.
Gojoro
Year Rank Win Loss % PR OPR
------------------------------------------------
96 40 51 39 56.7% 6.83 5.83
97 45 44 46 48.9% 6.54 6.71
98 27 44 46 48.9% 6.13 6.30
'97 comments
Right now he's in makuuchi, but I don't expect it to
last. There are 40 rikishi in the top division, and I
think the ranking of #45 is fairly accurate. I expect him
to bounce between the two divsions a little bit.
'98 comments
OK, so maybe Gojoro won't bounce between the two divisions,
but he won't make a mark in Makuuchi. There is NO way he ever
becomes sanyaku.
Hamanoshima
Year Rank Win Loss % PR OPR
------------------------------------------------
95 31 33 42 44.0% 7.21 8.11
96 41 42 48 46.7% 6.83 7.33
97 32 42 48 46.7% 7.31 7.81
98 38 36 54 40.0% 5.08 6.58
'97 comments
Hmmm... it's difficult to get too worked up about this guy.
He'll probably drop in the rankings, but should spend the
whole year in makuuchi.
'98 comments
My opinions have not changed one iota.
Higonoumi
Year Rank Win Loss % PR OPR
------------------------------------------------
95 15 26 32 44.8% 8.40 9.18
96 22 44 46 48.9% 7.72 7.88
97 29 36 54 40.0% 7.36 8.86
98 25 41 49 45.6% 6.15 6.82
'97 comments
His slide down the rankings has been pretty subtle, but
this used to be a guy who faced the sanyaku on a more
or less regular basis. The slide should stop - '98 will
be as good as '97 for him.
'98 comments
For my next prediction, I say '99 is a slightly worse year
for Higonoumi - about 30 or so. Unless he gets injured, then
forget about it.
Comments? Let me know