Wow..maybe the press didn't like him because they realized what an asshole he was even back then. I'll take a phony over an asshole any day.
How dare you call Jose an a**hole. Why he gave my friend a beer once. Well, not exactly gave it to him, but we were at the As game, when my friend called him "Jose Can Strikeout". A guy behind him bet him a beer Jose would NOT strike out. At the time the count was 2 balls, no strikes. My friend took the bet, secure in the knowlege that Jose would come through. Despite the count going to 3 and 0, Jose came through in the end, fouling several away before the big swing and a miss.