Are You Ready For Fantasy Baseball - 2009?

I have a relative who is the spitting image of that guy. Including the fixed facial expression.

This is going to be tough week to predict. A 1-point change in the outcome of several matchups could screw things up.
1) Gargamel will be unable to shake free from the tenacious 'Necks. He goes to 2nd at .569;
2) Fbaezer will retake 1st place by .003 at .572;
3) George will narrowly win his match but will drop to 4th at .554;
4) Tico will romp big time and will climb to 3rd at .554;
5) McGentrix will lose his match but will hold 5th with .531;
6) Pantalones will have a great week and be right behind in 6th at .531;
7) Johnboy will have plenty of elbow room. He will hold 7th with .503;
8) Jespah will salvage a near-tie and stay in 8th with .488;
9) Fox will not have a good week and slide to 10th at .466;
10) Alex will move up to 9th with .484;
11) Osso will lose her match but will hang on to 11th at .465;
12) JPinMilw will be right behind at .463; good for 12th;
13) ElStud will get close to 12th but will stay in 13th with .458;
14) Mysteryman will get punched, again, and will end at .371.

Ha, ha. The Rednecks win against the Tubas - again, he tells me. Not by much, but enough such that Fbaezer owes me a virtual lunch.
Is there a button to push here where we can see how we have fared against the other players?

I volunteer to go to Mexico City and collect the lunch for you. We're getting itchy feet to go traveling again.

Your looking swell today rjb.

I'd be very happy to go to Mexico City for lunch and another two weeks, now a bit of a fantasy for me, sort of like baseball. I was last there in 1973.. and have neighborhoods I want to walk, much to learn. I never saw the Belles Artes museum, duh. Also, I'm food mad, and would listen to Fb.

I am humbled.

Okay, let's face it, I'm not humbled at all. The Rednecks had a hell of a week, but it's just not my style. The Tubas are amazing! You're going down PFM!

And the running total through Week 18:

STATS - WEEK ONE - ENDING 4-12-09
1--- fbaezer--- PremiataForneriaM--- 14-4-1--- .763
2--- MysteryMan--- firefighters--- 13-3-3--- .763
3--- Ossobuco--- Desert Sandpaws--- 11-5-3--- .658
4--- Foxfyre--- Hoot Owls--- 10-7-2--- .579
5--- RealJohnBoy--- Rappin Rednecks--- 11-8-0--- .579
6--- Gargamel--- The Tubas--- 9-7-3--- .553
7--- Alex240101--- The Bay Herons--- 8-7-4--- .526
8--- George & Rhys--- IpswichStableHands--- 7-8-4--- .474
9--- Jespah--- Boston Skinny Pups--- 7-9-3--- .447
10--- ElStudHoncho--- Geriatric Gerbils--- 7-10-2--- .421
11--- Pantalones--- The Lushies--- 8-11-0--- .421
12--- Ticomaya--- Ticomaniacs--- 5-11-3--- .342
13--- JpinMilwaukee--- Can of Corn--- 3-13-3--- .237
14--- McGentrix--- Skoalmen--- 4-14-1--- .237

STATS - WEEK TWO - ENDING 4-17-09
1--- fbaezer--- PremiataForneriaM--- 26-9-3--- .724
2--- MysteryMan--- firefighters--- 21-11-6--- .632
3--- Alex240101--- The Bay Herons--- 17-11-10--- .579
4--- Ossobuco--- Desert Sandpaws--- 18-13-7--- .566
5--- Foxfyre--- Hoot Owls--- 18-15-5--- .539
6--- George & Rhys--- IpswichStableHands--- 16-14-8--- .526
7--- RealJohnBoy--- Rappin Rednecks--- 17-16-5--- .513
8--- Jespah--- Boston Skinny Pups--- 14-14-10--- 487
9--- ElStudHoncho--- Geriatric Gerbils--- 15-16-7--- .487
10--- Gargamel--- The Tubas--- 15-16-7--- .487
11--- Ticomaya--- Ticomaniacs--- 10-18-10--- .395
12--- McGentrix--- Skoalmen--- 12-21-5--- .382
13--- Pantalones--- The Lushies--- 13-23-2--- .368
14--- JpinMilwaukee--- Can of Corn--- 7-22-9--- .303

STATS - WEEK 3 - ENDING 4-26-09
1--- fbaezer--- PremiataForneriaM--- 39-13-5--- .728
2--- Foxfyre--- Hoot Owls--- 29-18-10-- .596
3--- George & Rhys--- IpswichStableHands--- 26-19-1200 .561
4--- MysteryMan--- firefighters--- 27-20-10-- .561
5--- Ossobuco--- Desert Sandpaws--- 26-20-00-- .553
6--- Gargamel--- The Tubas--- 26-21-10-- .544
7--- RealJohnBoy--- Rappin Rednecks--- 26-22-9--- .535
8--- Jespah--- Boston Skinny Pups--- 21-22-14-- .491
9--- Alex240101--- The Bay Herons 20-22-15-- .482
10--- McGentrix--- Skoalmen--- 20-29-8--- .421
11--- Pantalones--- The Gushies--- 21-31-5--- .412
12--- ElStudHoncho--- Geriatric Gerbils--- 19-29-9--- .412
13--- Ticomaya--- Ticomaniacs--- 15-28-4--- .386
14--- JpinMilwaukee--- Can of Corn--- 12-33-12-- .316

STATS - WEEK 4 - ENDING 5-3-09
1--- fbaezer--- PremiataForneriaM--- 53-15-8 .750
2--- George & Rhys--- IpswichStableHands--- 37-24-15 .586
3--- Gargamel--- The Tubas--- 37-25-14 .579
4--- Foxfyre--- Hoot Owls--- 33-29-14 .526
5--- Alex240101--- The Bay Herons--- 29-28-19-- .507
6--- RealJohnBoy--- Ra[[om Rednecks--- 32-31-13-- .507
7--- Ossobuco--- Desert Sandpaws--- 31-31-14-- .500
8--- Jespah--- BostonSkinnyPups--- 28-30-18-- .487
9--- Pantalones--- The Gushies 31-35-10-- .474
10--- MysteryMan--- firefighters--- 29-34-13-- .467
11--- McGentrix--- Skoalmen--- 28-36-12-- .447
12--- JpinMilwaukee--- Can of Corn--- 22-38-16-- .395
13--- ElStudHoncho--- Geriatric Gerbils--- 23-39-14-- .395
14--- Ticomaya--- Ticomaniacs--- 20-38-18-- .382

STATS - WEEK 5 ENDING 5-10-09
1--- fbaezer--- PremiataForneriaM--- 64-22-9--- .721
2--- George & Rhys--- IpswichStableHands--- 48-29-18--- .600
3--- Gargamel--- The Tubas--- 44-33-18-- .558
4--- Pantalones--- The Gushies 45-40-10-- .526
5--- Foxfyre--- Hoot Owls--- 41-37-17-- .521
6--- RealJohnBoy--- Rappin Rednecks--- 40-38-17-- .511
7--- Ossobuco--- Desert Sandpaws--- 37-40-18-- .484
8--- Alex240101--- The Bay Herons--- 36-39-20-- .484
9--- Jespah--- BostonSkinnyPups--- 33-41-21-- .458
10--- McGentrix--- Skoalmen--- 36-45-14-- .453
11--- JpinMilwaukee--- Can of Corn--- 31-44-20-- .432
12--- MysteryMan--- firefighters--- 34-48-13-- .426
13--- ElStudHoncho--- Geriatric Gerbils--- 32-47-16-- .421
14--- Ticomaya--- Ticomaniacs--- 28-46-21-- .405

STATS - WEEK 6 ENDING 5-17-09
1--- fbaezer--- PremiataForneriaM--- 72-29-13--.689
2--- George & Rhys--- IpswichStableHands--- 54-41-19--.557
3--- Foxfyre--- Hoot Owls--- 53-41-20--.553
4--- Gargamel--- The Tubas--- 51-41-22--.544
5--- Pantalones--- The Gushies 54-45-15--.539
6--- McGentrix--- Skoalmen--- 48-51-15--.487
7--- Jespah--- BostonSkinnyPups--- 43-47-24--.482
8--- RealJohnBoy--- Rappin Rednecks--- 44-50-20--.474
9--- Alex240101--- The Bay Herons--- 41-48-25--.469
10--- Ticomaya--- Ticomaniacs--- 40-50-24--.456
11--- Ossobuco--- Desert Sandpaws--- 41-52-21--.452
12--- ElStudHoncho--- Geriatric Gerbils--- 41-55-18--.439
13--- MysteryMan--- firefighters--- 42-57-15--.434
14--- JpinMilwaukee--- Can of Corn--- 37-54-23--.425

STATS - WEEK 7 - ENDING MAY 24, 2009
1--- fbaezer--- PremiataForneriaM--- 79-37-17--.658
2--- Gargamel--- The Tubas--- 60-47-26--.549
3--- Foxfyre--- Hoot Owls--- 59-48-26--.541
4--- George & Rhys--- IpswichStableHands--- 61-50-22--.541
5--- McGentrix--- Skoalmen--- 61-55-17--.523
6--- Pantalones--- The Gushies--- 60-54-19--.523
7--- Jespah--- BostonSkinnyPups--- 50-53-30--.489
8--- RealJohnBoy--- Rappin Rednecks--- 53-57-23--.485
9--- Alex240101--- The Bay Herons--- 48-56-29--.470
10--- Ticomaya--- Ticomaniacs--- 48-57-28--.466
11--- ElStudHoncho--- Geriatric Gerbils--- 49-62-22--.451
12--- Ossobuco--- Desert Sandpaws--- 48-61-24--.451
13--- JpinMilwaukee--- Can of Corn--- 46-61-26--.444
14--- MysteryMan--- firefighters--- 46-70-17--.410

STATS - WEEK 8 - ENDING MAY 31, 2009
1--- fbaezer--- PremiataForneriaM--- 86-45-21---.635
2--- Gargamel--- The Tubas--- 72-51-29---.569
3--- George & Rhys--- IpswichStableHands--- 7-54-28---.553
4--- McGentrix--- Skoalmen--- 74-60-18---.546
5--- Foxfyre--- Hoot Owls--- 63-57-32---.520
6--- Pantalones--- The Gushies 66-63-23---.510
7--- Jespah--- BostonSkinnyPups--- 58-61-33---.490
8--- RealJohnBoy--- Rappin Rednecks--- 61-65-26---.487
9--- Ticomaya--- Ticomaniacs--- 57-63-32---.480
10--- Alex240101--- The Bay Herons--- 56-62-34---.480
11--- Ossobuco--- Desert Sandpaws--- 56-68-28---.461
12--- ElStudHoncho--- Geriatric Gerbils--- 53-74-25---.431
13--- JpinMilwaukee--- Can of Corn--- 51-74-27---.424
14--- MysteryMan--- firefighters--- 52-78-22---.414

STATS - WEEK 9 - ENDING JUNE 7, 2009
1--- fbaezer--- PremiataForneriaM--- .611--- 1 *
2--- Gargamel--- The Tubas--- .570--- 2 *
3--- George & Rhys--- IpswichStableHands--- .567--- 3 *
4--- Pantalones--- The Gushies .532--- 5
5--- McGentrix--- Skoalmen--- .532--- 4
6--- Foxfyre--- Hoot Owls--- .512--- 7
7--- Ticomaya--- Ticomaniacs--- .506--- 8
8--- Jespah--- BostonSkinnyPups--- .500--- 6
9--- Alex240101--- The Bay Herons--- .491--- 9 *
10--- RealJohnBoy--- Rappin Rednecks--- .468--- 10 *
11--- Ossobuco--- Desert Sandpaws--- .442--- 11 *
12--- JpinMilwaukee--- Can of Corn--- .439--- 12 *
13--- MysteryMan--- firefighters--- .415--- 14
14--- ElStudHoncho--- Geriatric Gerbils--- .415--- 13

STATS - WEEK 10 - ENDING JUNE 14, 2009
1--- Gargamel--- The Tubas--- .592--- 2 *
2--- fbaezer--- PremiataForneriaM--- .592--- 1 *
3--- George & Rhys--- IpswichStableHands--- .568--- 3
4--- Pantalones--- The Gushies .542--- 4
5--- McGentrix--- Skoalmen--- .537--- 5
6--- Ticomaya--- Ticomaniacs--- .529--- 6
7--- Foxfyre--- Hoot Owls--- .503--- 7
8--- Jespah--- BostonSkinnyPups--- .487--- 8
9--- Alex240101--- The Bay Herons--- .463--- 9
10--- RealJohnBoy--- Rappin Rednecks--- .461--- 10
11--- JpinMilwaukee--- Can of Corn--- .455--- 12 *
12--- Ossobuco--- Desert Sandpaws--- .437--- 11 *
13--- ElStudHoncho--- Geriatric Gerbils--- .434--- 13
14--- MysteryMan--- firefighters--- .400--- 14

STATS - WEEK 11 - WEEK ENDING 6-21-09
1--- Gargamel--- The Tubas--- .602--- 1
2--- fbaezer--- PremiataForneriaM--- .591--- 2
3--- George & Rhys--- IpswichStableHands--- .569--- 3
4--- Pantalones--- The Gushies .531--- 4
5--- Ticomaya--- Ticomaniacs--- .526--- 5
6--- McGentrix--- Skoalmen--- .512--- 6
7--- Foxfyre--- Hoot Owls--- .495--- 7
8--- Jespah--- BostonSkinnyPups--- .490--- 8
9--- RealJohnBoy--- Rappin Rednecks--- .471--- 9
10--- Alex240101--- The Bay Herons--- .463--- 10
11--- Ossobuco--- Desert Sandpaws--- .455--- 12 *
12--- JpinMilwaukee--- Can of Corn--- .452--- 11 *
13--- ElStudHoncho--- Geriatric Gerbils--- .438--- 13
14--- MysteryMan--- firefighters--- .397--- 14

STATS - WEEK 12 - WEEK ENDING 6-28-09
1--- fbaezer--- PremiataForneriaM--- .583--- 1
2--- Gargamel--- The Tubas--- .583--- 2
3--- George & Rhys--- IpswichStableHands--- .546--- 5 *
4--- Pantalones--- The Gushies .539--- 3 *
5--- Ticomaya--- Ticomaniacs--- .537--- 4 *
6--- McGentrix--- Skoalmen--- .524--- 6
7--- Foxfyre--- Hoot Owls--- .496--- 8 *
8--- Jespah--- BostonSkinnyPups--- .487--- 7 *
9--- Alex240101--- The Bay Herons--- .469--- 12 *
10--- ElStudHoncho--- Geriatric Gerbils--- .461--- 11 *
11--- RealJohnBoy--- Rappin Rednecks--- .461--- 10 *
12--- Ossobuco--- Desert Sandpaws--- .458--- 9 *
13--- JpinMilwaukee--- Can of Corn--- .445--- 13
14--- MysteryMan--- firefighters--- .410--- 14

STATS - WEEK 13 - WEEK ENDING 7-5-09
1--- fbaezer--- PremiataForneriaM--- .577--- 2 *
2--- Gargamel--- The Tubas--- .577--- 1 *
3--- George & Rhys--- IpswichStableHands--- .559--- 3
4--- Pantalones--- The Gushies .543--- 4
5--- Ticomaya--- Ticomaniacs--- .540--- 6 *
6--- McGentrix--- Skoalmen--- .516--- 5 *
7--- Foxfyre--- Hoot Owls--- .490--- 7
8--- Alex240101--- The Bay Herons--- .484--- 9 *
9--- Jespah--- BostonSkinnyPups--- .476--- 8 *
10--- RealJohnBoy--- Rappin Rednecks--- .464--- 10
11--- Ossobuco--- Desert Sandpaws--- .462--- 11
12--- ElStudHoncho--- Geriatric Gerbils--- .460--- 12
13--- JpinMilwaukee--- Can of Corn--- .453--- 13
14--- MysteryMan--- firefighters--- .401--- 14

STATS - WEEK 14 - WEEK ENDING 7-12-09
1--- George & Rhys--- IpswichStableHands--- .573--- 2 *
2--- fbaezer--- PremiataForneriaM--- .566--- 1 *
3--- Gargamel--- The Tubas--- .564--- 3
4--- Pantalones--- The Gushies .545--- 4
5--- Ticomaya--- Ticomaniacs--- .538--- 5
6--- McGentrix--- Skoalmen--- .521--- 6
7--- Jespah--- BostonSkinnyPups--- .485--- 7
8--- ElStudHoncho--- Geriatric Gerbils--- .479--- 8
9--- Foxfyre--- Hoot Owls--- .474--- 9
10--- Alex240101--- The Bay Herons--- .466--- 10
11--- Ossobuco--- Desert Sandpaws--- .464--- 12 *
12--- RealJohnBoy--- Rappin Rednecks--- .461--- 11 *
13--- JpinMilwaukee--- Can of Corn--- .459--- 13
14--- MysteryMan--- firefighters--- .406--- 14


STATS - WEEK 15 - WEEK ENDING JULY 19, 2009
1--- fbaezer--- PremiataForneriaM--- .568--- 4 *
2--- Gargamel--- The Tubas--- .567--- 1 *
3--- George & Rhys--- IpswichStableHands--- .561--- 3
4--- Ticomaya--- Ticomaniacs--- .535--- 2 *
5--- Pantalones--- The Gushies .535--- 5
6--- McGentrix--- Skoalmen--- .518--- 6
7--- RealJohnBoy--- Rappin Rednecks--- .489--- 7
8--- Foxfyre--- Hoot Owls--- .489--- 8
9--- Jespah--- BostonSkinnyPups--- .486--- 10 *
10--- JpinMilwaukee--- Can of Corn--- .468--- 11 *
11--- Ossobuco--- Desert Sandpaws--- .468--- 9 *
12--- Alex240101--- The Bay Herons--- .461--- 12
13--- ElStudHoncho--- Geriatric Gerbils--- .454--- 13
14--- MysteryMan--- firefighters--- .398--- 14

STATS - WEEK 16 - WEEK ENDING JULY 26, 2009
1--- Gargamel--- The Tubas--- .572--- 1
2--- fbaezer--- PremiataForneriaM--- .566--- 2
3--- George & Rhys--- IpswichStableHands--- .554--- 3
4--- McGentrix--- Skoalmen--- .544--- 5 *
5--- Ticomaya--- Ticomaniacs--- .536--- 4 *
6--- RealJohnBoy--- Rappin Rednecks--- .508--- 7
7--- Pantalones--- The Gushies .505--- 6 *
8--- Foxfyre--- Hoot Owls--- .488--- 8
9--- Jespah--- BostonSkinnyPups--- .485--- 9
10--- Ossobuco--- Desert Sandpaws--- .472--- 10
11--- Alex240101--- The Bay Herons--- .465--- 11
12--- JpinMilwaukee--- Can of Corn--- .461--- 12
13--- ElStudHoncho--- Geriatric Gerbils--- .456--- 13
14--- MysteryMan--- firefighters--- .387--- 14

STATS - WEEK 17 - WEEK ENDING AUGUST 2, 2009
1--- Gargamel--- The Tubas--- .576--- 1
2--- fbaezer--- PremiataForneriaM--- .571--- 2
3--- George & Rhys--- IpswichStableHands--- .554--- 3
4--- Ticomaya--- Ticomaniacs--- .543--- 4
5--- McGentrix--- Skoalmen--- .537--- 5
6--- Pantalones--- The Gushies .512--- 6
7--- RealJohnBoy--- Rappin Rednecks--- .500--- 7
8--- Jespah--- BostonSkinnyPups--- .491--- 8
9--- Foxfyre--- Hoot Owls--- .481--- 9
10--- Alex240101--- The Bay Herons--- .475--- 10
11--- Ossobuco--- Desert Sandpaws--- .471--- 11
12--- JpinMilwaukee--- Can of Corn--- .454--- 13 *
13--- ElStudHoncho--- Geriatric Gerbils--- .450--- 12 *
14--- MysteryMan--- firefighters--- .384--- 14

STATS - WEEK 18 - WEEK ENDING AUGUST 9, 2009
1--- fbaezer--- PremiataForneriaM--- .573--- 1
2--- Gargamel--- The Tubas--- .570--- 2
3--- George & Rhys--- IpswichStableHands--- .566--- 4 *
4--- Ticomaya--- Ticomaniacs--- .551--- 3 *
5--- Pantalones--- The Gushies .531--- 6 *
6--- McGentrix--- Skoalmen--- .531--- 5 *
7--- RealJohnBoy--- Rappin Rednecks--- .501--- 7
8--- Jespah--- BostonSkinnyPups--- .477--- 8
9--- Foxfyre--- Hoot Owls--- .472--- 10 *
10--- Alex240101--- The Bay Herons--- .471--- 9 *
11--- Ossobuco--- Desert Sandpaws--- .466--- 11
12--- JpinMilwaukee--- Can of Corn--- .462--- 12
13--- ElStudHoncho--- Geriatric Gerbils--- .458--- 13
14--- MysteryMan--- firefighters--- .371--- 14

Column 1 - Rank
Column 2 & 3 - the Team
Column 4 - the average at the end of the week
Column 5 - Johnboy's prognostication with the * denoting a miss.

Johnboy's Rednecks did well; however he correctly predicted some burps in the crystal ball department going 8/14 correct this week. I think there were fewer trades in places this week than we've ever had. What I want to know is how does an entire fantasy team go into a slump? Wouldn't the law of averages sort of pooh pooh that as a theory?

Good for the Rednecks!

A mighty meal:

Squash blossom soup...



Chicken Mole poblano...



Chongos zamoranos for desert...




Tequila for happiness...




And some meat chunks for your everhungry hound:

I was planning a Mexican dinner awhile back and wanted to make chongos zamoranos that I was introduced to in Juarez and enjoyed very much.

I cannot find a recipe, however, that does not call for rennet which is not widely (or at all) available here.

Any suggestions for a credible substitution?

Rennet, for those of you who don't know, is the "...lining membrane from the
4th stomach of a calf" (Random House College Dictionary) or "...an extract from the lining of the 1st stomach..." (Joy of Cooking).

Rennet?

To make chongos you need 8 cups of milk, 1 cup of sugar, curdle pills, cinnamon straws and lime juice.

Put the milk on low fire (IT MUST NOT BOIL), add the curdle pill (solved in a bit of milk), mix, burn on low fire for a half hour, add the lime juice. When the milk is curdled, stick the cinammon straws and add the sugar, without moving. Keep on cooking low about two hours (until there is almost no liquid left). MILK MUST NOT BOIL... that's the trick.

Terrific! I can do that.

What's a curdle pill?

They're good to make cheese out of milk. They coagulate it.
They should sell them at the drugstore... well, in Mexico they sell them at the drugstore.
Ask for anything to coagulate milk, change it into curd by draining whey.
Rennet is good for that, but since you don't have rennet...

(Cue the music from some spaghetti Western movie)
It is just before noon. High noon, in a hot, dusty town. August, in some god-forsaken town like Albuquerque. The town's stray dogs seek shelter from the heat in the bit of shade provided by the stinky dumpsters.
From the Motel 6 comes Fbaezer. He is a short man, with weathered Mexican skin and a mustache too big for his face. He has a bandoleer of ammo strapped across his chest. I don't know why he needs so much ammo.
An SUV pulls up and sits there for a bit. Tinted windows and the A/C blasting away. Eventually, Gargamel steps out. He is wearing a suit and has sunglasses on. Are those Italian shoes? He is holding a gun. He tucks it into a little leather (genuine leather) holster on his left him.
It is almost noon, and the stray dogs can find little shade.
Osso, Fox & ElStud, Dys and Diane stagger down the sweltering street, unaware that FBAEZER & GARGAMEL will be playing each other this week!

Did I manage to offend a number of people?

Was that your intent? If so I could work up a bit of indignation at being protrayed among the dusty staggerers instead of being cast as the matronly but sexy Miss Kitty-ish saloon proprietor.

"I could of been a contender.".....many weeks I was close to winning,...I mean, that close,....the thrill is there. Looking into computer bribed fantasy draft options.

I saw the culprit, officer. The man who pushed me over. Contrary to popular belief it was not fbaezer. No, he was wearing a Colorado Rockies hat. Yes, yes, and come to think of it, he's on my own goddamn team! He's a Tuba!

His name is Huston Street, and he's jacked my ERA up to 108.