I removed the plastic retainer ring with some long-nosed pliers. After that, I taped up my plumber's wrench and went to town. I can see the faucet base trying to turn in place; it's more likely I'll rip off the faucet from the base before I get that cap loosened. Lefty loosy, correct?
I tried spraying in some liquid wrench, but it hasn't seemed to help. I'm thinking if I follow that up with a lot of vinegar, I might be able to get away at the mineral deposits that seem to be holding my faucet together. Just pouring vinegar into the ball with the handle removed gave me a little more pressure from the sprayer. Is there anything clever to do, or do I have to replace the faucet?