We want Jesus Montero. We want Eduardo Nunez. Well, maybe not we. At the very least, I want Montero and Nunez on the big league roster–and the sooner the better. As much as I think the trade deadline additions of Lance “Big Puma” Berkman and Austin “Big Ears” Kearns will help the offense and the outfield defense, respectively, more needs to be done to strengthen the bench.

After a dreadful start to his inaugural Triple-A season, Montero has been hitting torridly for Scranton/Wilkes Barre. He has lifted his season slugging to .495 and his OPS to .855, both impressive numbers for a 20-year-old catcher, even one who is defensively limited. I’m a firm believer in the Bill James philosophy of advancing players who have shown the ability to master a level of minor league play. And right now Montero is mastering pitchers in the International League. With the Yankees in the midst of a heated three-team pennant race, they need every roster advantage they can muster.

Let’s face it, Francisco Cervelli has been living off a hot April and May for the entire summer. He has been an offensive nonentity for months, and his defensive play has been far worse than his gilded reputation. The Yankees need more offense from the catching position; Montero can provide that, while also giving the Yankees a needed third catcher for those days when the frequently injured Jorge Posada needs to DH. So how do the Yankees make room for Montero, who could also provide another DH and pinch-hitting option? I would suggest cutting back to 11 pitchers–the horrors!–by releasing Chad Gaudin, who has become window dressing at the end of the bullpen. In two weeks, the Yankees will be able to add to their pitching staff anyway, as one of the benefits of the expanded September rosters.

While Cervelli can at least rest on his early season laurels, Ramiro Pena has no such fallback. He has been an offensive donut in every way: no batting average, no walks, and no power. At a different time, the Yankees could have afforded a no-hit, good-field utility infielder like Pena (does Chicken Stanley come to mind?). But not now, not with Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter needing more days off than ever. There is simply too drastic a drop-off from Rodriguez/Jeter to Pena, especially if the Yankees happen to be facing a top-tier pitcher that night.

With a player like Nunez, the Yankees would reduce the falloff. Nunez has extra-base power, can steal bases (21 in 26 attempts), and offers enough versatility to back up three infield positions, in addition to the outfield. Nunez is not the defensive shortstop that Pena is, but he is so much better offensively that he is worth the tradeoff.

So let’s get Nunez and Montero up here pronto. Traditionally a conservative organization when it comes to promoting their young players, the Yankees will likely wait to bring the pair up in September, once Scranton’s season has ended. I just hope such conservatism doesn’t cost the Yankees a game or two in the standings between now and then…

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The acquisition of Berkman has overshadowed the pickup of Kearns, but the former Reds, Nationals, and Indians fly chaser has had more of a tangible impact in his first two weeks as a Yankee. On Wednesday night, Kearns helped preserve Mariano Rivera’s save with a nifty shoestring catch of a sinking blooper to right field. On Thursday, Kearns’ first home run as a Yankee provided a needed margin in a 4-3 victory over the Royals.

Kearns’ defensive ability will come in especially handy during the stretch run. Though he has only average speed, he has a habit of getting good jumps, tracks the ball well, and features a shotgun throwing arm. Equally adept at playing left or right field, Kearns can also fill in as a center fielder, giving the Yankees another option behind Curtis Granderson and Brett Gardner.

As long as the Yankees use Kearns wisely–start him against left-handers and employ him as a late-inning caddy for Nick Swisher–he will help the team as a role player. He’s not good enough to play every day, but he’s better than Colin Curtis, Greg Golson, and the rest of the outfielders doing time in Scranton/Wilkes Barre.

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I would be remiss in not bidding farewell to former colleague Cliff Corcoran, who departed The Banter this week to join the expanding writing corps of the Pinstriped Bible. I must admit that I have never met Cliff; I’m rarely allowed to leave the candyland existence of Cooperstown. But I have admired Cliff’s reasoned and thoughtful analysis, his diligence in not only watching but studying Yankee games, and his incredible writing work ethic. The latter trait has been especially evident in his exhaustive spring training positional previews, along with his in-depth previews of each Yankee series throughout the season.

I’ve long been a reader of Steven Goldman’s Pinstriped Bible, but will now have more incentive to click onto the YES Network. Here’s wishing the best of luck to the artist formerly known as the author of Clifford’s Big Red Blog.

Bruce Markusen writes “Cooperstown Confidential” for The Hardball Times.