SSS Cryptosoxery #9

In this week’s cryptoquote, a voice from the White Sox past has a little something to say about spring training.

But first, the answer to Cryptosoxery #8, Hall-of-Famer baseball writer person Hal McCoy’s quote that has something to do with the new White Sox No. 22. McCoy, the record-setting, longtime Cincinnati Reds beat reporter for the Dayton Daily News, is as nice a man as you could ever hope to meet. But even he found a way to demonstrate something less than admiration for the new manager of the White Sox.

That was in answer to a fan’s question in 2012 about whether McCoy would prefer Dusty Baker or Tony La Russa as a manager:

Given equal talent, I’ll take Baker because he isn’t constantly trying to re-invent the game and he doesn’t get into silly mud-slinging with another team’s broadcaster. And he isn’t condescending to the media.

See? Isn’t that a gentle and nice way for a fellow Hall-of-Famer to make it clear he thinks La Russa is an arrogant jerk?

Of course, the new No. 22 isn’t being an arrogant jerk this very moment, because it’s spring training, a time when everyone says very nice things about everyone else, because that’s what they’re expected to do, and what choice do they really have?

That applies, to you, too, as explained in this week’s Cryptosoxery, a quote best read in a gravelly voice:

YS’R SJP THVR SJHS VPPK RXNYVA SNHYVYVA. LFZ AFSSH APS ’PG YVSPNPRSPK. OHIP

’PG ZX HVK DPS ’PG IVFO SJHS SJPYN RPHRFV YR BFGYVA, SJP AFFK SYGPR HNP AFVVH

NFDD. — JHNNL BHNHL

For those new to the game, a cryptoquote is a simple letter substitution, same substitution all the way through — a B might really be an F, a K a Y, and so on. You solve by finding the most common letters — start with E, go on to Wheel of Fortune favorites, and looking for common words and letter patterns.

Be forewarned some of the words in this week’s quote are not the king’s (or queen’s) English (not cussing, just not school-taught). The lead should be a clue to the speaker, which will make the puzzle much easier.

The answer, and a new Cryptosoxery, next week.