The Yankees have been the franchise that often towers over their crosstown rival in Queens. They have 27 World Series titles to the Mets' two, and the big-ticket free agents and mass spending has generally been synonymous with their pinstripes.

With Mets owner Steve Cohen now in place, many believe that the Mets will challenge their "big brother" and eventually rise above the storied organization.

But Cohen isn't basing his operation off being better than the team a subway ride away. He's got bigger things in mind.

"I’m not competing against the Yankees. This is the Mets," Cohen told reporters during his introductory news conference on Tuesday. "We’re gonna create our own excitement. I’m competing against 29 other clubs in MLB. It comes down to us making good decisions, taking advantage of opportunities that arise, which we’re going to do. I’m a very motivated, very proactive type of guy. I don’t just sit back and accept mediocrity.”

Cohen knows very well how the Yankees are perceived compared to the Mets. Growing up, though, he was a Mets fan and recognized both organizations have had their fair share of greatness in this game.

"The Yankees have a great history. They’ve won 27 championships? 28? So, you know, that’s pretty impressive," he said. "That’s what happens when you build a great organization and they had that. Saying that, there were times when the Mets were great too. We just want to be great more often. So that’s what I’m focused on and I’m ready for the challenge. I’m all in here.”

The rivalry will always be there for both the teams and their fan bases. Getting the upper hand on the other each season is always a small victory in the grand scheme of things.

But make no mistake, Cohen is determined to build a Mets team that can win a World Series in the "next 3-5 years, I'd like to make it sooner" or he will be disappointed. That means going out and getting free agents that make sense for the team and relying on the young core the Mets possess to get there.

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