JUPITER, Fla. — With the first off day of spring training here for the St. Louis Cardinals, there’s time to ride some tangents — when you’re not riding the birthday boy’s “tsunami,” that is.

While working on a blog entry that you will see up in this space shortly about outfielder Colby Rasmus and how to read the recently released Baseball America Top 100 Prospects, I was intrigued by how BA took the depth charts us correspondents file and merged them into depth charts from across the minors. It’s a new view on familiar names and further helps crystallize exactly where the Cardinals rank in the development universe.

As you know, we’re always looking for new ways to add context to prospects — remember the rankings by the NL Central and how revealing those were. This is similar.

The Cardinals to crack the Top Prospect depth charts in the current issue of Baseball America were:

CATCHER

15. Bryan Anderson

CENTER FIELD

1. Colby Rasmus

THIRD BASE

4. Brett Wallace

17. David Freese

CORNER OUTFIELD

13. Daryl Jones

SHORTSTOP

14. Pete Kozma

RELIEVER

3. Chris Perez

As semi-telling as those spots in the depth charts are, what is more revealing is where the Cardinals didn’t have a prospect place. There were 35 righthanded starters named on the BA depth chart, and 20 more lefthanded starters listed. There isn’t a Cardinal named in those 55. Not one in the “top” 55 starting pitching prospects, according to the trade publication. Around the campus this spring, there has been considerable needling for the depth chart that appears in this year’s Prospect Handbook. While not belaboring the background, the depth charts lists Jess Todd, for example, as the No. 2 starter in 2012. There is a method to the mention, just as there is ample evidence and belief that Todd will find a home in the major-league bullpen.

The overall depth charts and the questions about the 2012 lineup, got me thinking: What would be the lineup of the Cardinals’ best prospects? How would compiling that show where the team is stacked for the future — and where it is hurting? If not one of the starting pitchers they have in the pipeline cracks the 55 mentioned above (and Jaime Garcia, if healthy, would have, no doubt), what does that say about the long-range projection for the rotation?

Seems like an excellent next exercise to tackle here with the power of the poll.

We’ll start with catcher and work our away around to starting pitcher. There is no need to throw up a poll on center field, but we will talk specific positions, and yes some will be eligible at two. Today: Catcher. Could be cut and dry, but there are some names on here that deserve a chance to surprise:

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Back shortly with the detailed look at Rasmus’ place — and others’ — in the Top 100. Enjoy the off day.

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