Not that Mr. Lee should be confused with Mr. Exuberance, but if he leads the Rangers to World Series glory in uncharted fashion his star as a corporate endorser will rise exponentially in much the same way that Cole Hamels experienced a hike in his star after leading the Phillies to a World Championship in 2008.

FORBES: Cliff Lee's Dominance May Yield Near $200 Million Over Six Years

But without star quality even the most efficient of teams cannot dream of glory, and for the Kiwis it comes largely in the shape of one man: Shane Edward Bond.

BBC: Bond in the swing for Kiwis