Aminishiki in 2018

[Jejima 1,495]

Previous polls:

2017
2016

Aminishiki is the oldest Sekitori (a rikishi ranked in either Makunouchi or Juryo).  He will be turning 40 years old in October 2018.

After 7 bashos in Juryo, Aminishiki returned to Makunouchi in November 2017, and managed to get an 8-7 kachikoshi - and was awarded his second ever kanto-sho (Fighting Spirit Prize) - over 17 years since he won his first! 

How will the old soldier fare in 2018?

Please include your predictions (be as precise as you can!) in the comments below. 

Please also include in your comment your guess for either

a) Aminishiki's rank on the January 2019 banzuke  

or

b) Aminishiki's final banzuke rank before he goes intai in 2018

[orandashoho 720]

Hatsu 2019 -- J10

[Shatsume 118]

M14 for Kyūshū Basho, instant intai after day 15 bout.

[Churaumi 753]

M12, probably be around the bottom of makuuchi all year. Took a swag on low record, I think he’ll be able to sell enough hennas to the newer guys at the bottom to always win at least 4.

[Benihana 1,972]

It all depends on his knees. Healthy knees = M5-M14 elevator.

a) M10e

[Rocks 1,810]

I'm thinking he won't on the January 2019 Banzuke. His final rank will be what it is now, M13w.

[PawnSums 59]

M7 On 2019 Banzuke

[just_some_guy 308]

I reaaallly hope I'm wrong, but sadly I think he's going to have two MK's in a row and retire in Mar/Apr after finding himself dropped to around J5.

[Yamanashi 4,078]

He may want to get more bouts/basho under his belt to climb the top 10, but I think he'd want to retire before dropping to juryo; so let's say intai after the March 2018 basho while staring at Juryo for the next basho.  M15.

[MumboJumbo 37]

M11, intai in September after the basho.

[chishafuwaku 476]

Intai? 

You are crazy.

Aminishiki will still be here by 2020 when he is to replace Hakuho to raise the flag in Tokyo.

[WAKATAKE 2,759]

J3E, but he's definitely going to be around for a while

[Atenzan 1,084]

M8, mate

[inhashi 2,363]

Intai, Haru 2018 at rank J4 although after seeing this past basho results I’d be thrilled to see him continue.  On the other hand his knees and the Achilles rupture can only worsen if he does.  

[Oshirokita 198]

5 wins in Hatsu

8 wins in Haru

7 wins in Natsu

6 wins in Nagoya

3 wins in Aki (getting him to 700 career Makuuchi wins) ranked M15 but injured again

does not compete in Kyushu ranked J8 and retires after Kyushu basho

 

[Jejima 1,495]

He is still okay at that level, so I've gone for no intai, and a range of 6-9 to 9-6 results.  He'll probably start next year at a similar level to where he is now, i.e. M10W. 

Edited December 26, 2017 by Jejima

[Tenshinhan 1,612]

He won't retire in 2018.
Best record: 9-6 (in Juryo)
Worst record: 4-11 (in the upper half of the maegashira ranks)

rank on the Hatsu 2019 banzuke: M14e

[Mutsu'ohideki 8]

On 11/27/2017 at 12:00, Benihana said:

It all depends on his knees. Healthy knees = M5-M14 elevator.

a) M10e

i think he's japa knees. 

anyway, m9w

[Jejima 1,495]

Poll closed - round-up

Slightly over half of us think that Aminishiki will retire at some stage during 2018 - but as to when, the votes are spread throughout the year.

Nearly two-thirds of us think that his best record will be either 9-6 or 10-5.

We're pretty much split on his worst record, with no record achieving more than 25% of our votes.

Edited January 17, 2018 by Jejima

[Jejima 1,495]

Aminishiki has not retired!  He is over 40, and still going strong(ish).

His record for 2018 was as follows:-

Jan: M10W 3-9-3
Mar: J2E 8-7
May: M16W 4-11
Jul: J4W 9-6
Sep: J1W 7-8
Nov: J2W 7-8

Churaumi, Benihana, PawnSums, chishafuwaku, WAKATAKE, Atenzan, Jejima, Morty, Mutsu'ohideki, I am the Yokozuna and James Jett all predicted that he would not retire this year.

Shatsume, PawnSums, chishafuwaku, WAKATAKE, MumboJumbo, Jejima, Morty, Takanorappa, Tenshinhan, Mutsu'ohideki and I am the Yokozuna all predicted that his best record for 2018 would be 9-6.

His worst reord was the injury-ridden 3-9-3, as predicted by Wakaebala, Yamanashi, Oshirokita, Takanorappa and James Jett.

A lot of players predicted correctly for two out of the three questions.  Looking at the 'predict the rank' for January 2019 as tie-breaker, I think we have a winner.

WAKATAKE predicted that Aminishiki will be ranked at J3E for January 2019. After his 7-8 ranked at J2W, he will certainly end being ranked somewhere around that guess (the last rikishi to go 7-8 at J2W (Kyokushuho in March 2018), was ranked at J3E the following basho).

Aminishiki will indeed be ranked at J3E. Bulls-eye!

 

So this yusho goes to @WAKATAKE .

Edited December 28, 2018 by Jejima
Aminishiki will indeed be ranked at J3E. Bulls-eye!

[WAKATAKE 2,759]

I humbly accept the cup that has been bestowed