New York Mets' billionaire owner Steve Cohen throws shade at previous regime under the Wilpon family... as his 'win a World Series in five years' promise gets ever more unlikely: 'I was given what I was given'

As he enters his third full season as the Mets' owner, Steve Cohen is evidently still working to reshape the organization following the Wilpon regime - whom he criticized on Sunday.

Cohen, who became the team's owner in September 2020, said at the time that it would be 'a disappointment' if they didn't win a World Series within three-to-five years.

That goal now appears lofty after the Mets won just 75 games last year, and Cohen put blame on his predecessors while speaking at spring training. 

'I would hope that we would have had more winning seasons, but it's not easy,' Cohen said, via the New York Post.

'In the end, I was given what I was given.'

Steve Cohen is hoping to get the Mets back to the postseason after a disappointing 2023

Cohen succeeded Fred Wilpon, who owned the team in some capacity from 1986-2020

According to the Post, that line was a reference to the team's farm system, which Cohen has tried to replete since joining the franchise.

'For the first time we're starting to look stacked [on the farm] and I don't think I ever would have used that term before, and that is a good feeling,' he added.

In free agency, too, the billionaire Cohen has made several big splashes, signing pitcher Max Scherzer to a three-year, $130million deal in 2021 and inking Justin Verlander to a two-year $86.6 million deal in 2022. Both players have since been traded for prospects.

Cohen is worth $19.8billion according to Forbes, and his heavy spending has often been welcomed by fans after the Wilpons were viewed by many as cheap.

Fred Wilpon became a 50-50 owner of the club in 1986, and completed a full buyout of the franchise in 2002 (his son, Jeff, would eventually run day-to-day operations).

From 2002 to 2020, when the Mets were sold to Cohen, the team went just 1458-1516, with just one World Series run (2015) in that span.

Mets first baseman Pete Alonso will be key to the team's hopes of reaching the postseason

After winning 101 games in the 2022 season, the Mets crashed back down to earth last year as they finished fourth in the NL East and missed the postseason.

 'Last year was a disappointment with the high expectations,' Cohen said.

'This year I think we have built up the floor of what's possible. I think there's a couple of great teams in the National League, but other than that I think we're as competitive as any other team.'

The Mets will hope that their core of Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Lindor can get them back to the postseason in 2024.