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MILWAUKEE – Get out a pencil and a piece of paper. Its time for rudimentary math; time to let the players worry about winning today while others concern themselves with the broader, increasingly bleak, picture. Write down the numbers one to 12 in ascending order. Each time Toronto loses a game, mark an X through the corresponding number. Why 13? Given the way the season is trending, the Blue Jays need to win at least 88 games to qualify for a playoff spot. With a record of 64-62 after Tuesdays action, in order to be 88-74 by seasons end Toronto had to go 24-12. Thats just for a chance. The American League East leading Orioles are on pace for 94 wins. In the race for the second wild card spot, the leader Mariners are eyeing an 88-win season; the runner up Tigers are looking at 88 victories (rounded up on percentage points); the Yankees are on pace for 83 wins. The Blue Jays, playing at a .508 clip, would end up in the 82-win neighbourhood. Thats not going to get it done. Whats more disconcerting are signs of fraying in the starting rotation. Through the first seven games of this eight-game road trip, Toronto pitching had allowed 11 first inning runs (two on Tuesday night). "Just another game where we gave up a lot of runs early and we couldnt do anything with (Brewers starter Mike) Fiers," said manager John Gibbons. "He did a nice job. A lot lately weve been giving up some runs early." Playing come-from-behind on a near-daily basis isnt ideal for an offence which has gone cold. In 16 games this month, the Jays have scored 48 runs or exactly three per game. One of the main culprits is the decline in home run production. Despite the recent downturn the Jays season total of 141 remains tied for second-most in baseball (with Colorado) behind Baltimores 157. The Jays have hit only seven long balls in the month of August (16 games). "Power comes and goes," said hitting coach Kevin Seitzer. "Its kind of one of those things when guys get hot they can usually get hot together and home runs are usually just a by-product of good at-bats and good swings and catching balls out front a little bit more." The Jays are one of three teams in the American League which require the home run to cash more than 40-percent of their runs scored, which is to say if Toronto doesnt hit the long ball, most of the time it wont score enough. Entering Tuesdays play, 225 of Torontos 558 runs (40.3-percent) were cashed via the home run. Theyre joined by Baltimore (251 of 531 – 47.2-percent) and Houston (219 of 501 – 43.7-percent). Nine teams come in the 30-39.9-percent range and the remainder fall below. The hope is the recent returns of Edwin Encarnacion (26 home runs) and Adam Lind (who despite having only four home runs, is a crucial middle-of-the-order bat against right-handed starting pitching) from injury will lengthen the lineup and pave the way to more pop. "A lot of times when guys try to compensate because of a lack of power and try to do a little too much then it works against you," said Seitzer. "I think thats kind of where were at right now. As far as overall as a team we didnt start off very good home run-wise the first month of the season and then all of a sudden in May it came in bunches and it came for a long time." Seitzer is looking to hits with runners in scoring position (RISP), specifically hits with runners in scoring position and two outs. Hes sensing players, especially the Jays best, are pressing. One example would be Jose Bautista, whos a .300 hitter with RISP this season but that number dwindles to .111 (4-for-36) with RISP and two outs. With Tuesday nights loss, Cleveland pulled even with the Blue Jays in the wild card race. The more teams youre chasing, the less likely it is you can gain ground on a nightly basis. Time is ticking away. Dont lose sight of your pencil. 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Gomes drove in all three runs, including a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning, and Cleveland rallied for a 3-2 win over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.As an elite athlete and Olympic gold medallist, how did you make the transition to sports broadcaster?Well, the camera never scared me – I always enjoyed doing interviews and tried to have fun with them. And when an opportunity presents itself, I like to dive at it head-first. When I was competing on Battle of the Blades, [I was asked] to come in for a screen test with Leafs TV. It was something I was interested in, so I immediately decided to jump at it. I fell in love with the job the second they put that mic in my hand, and Ive worked hard every day trying to get better. Its my new passion.How does your experience in sports shape your perspective on what athletes go through?Being an athlete is a privilege, its not something I took for granted. And its something that allows me to connect with and relate to other athletes as theyre competing at the top level. Having been able to play at such a high level, Ive seen a lot of fantastic athletes and the way they prepare. You can relate with steps theyre walking through: going over shifts in their mind, or even calming their nerves [in the clutch]. And the quality that all competitive athletes have in common is the fact that we all want to be perfect. Thats what we strive for, even though its never really attainable. So I understand that feeling, and I empathize with them. Youre well known as an Olympic hockey player, but do you play any other sports?I was most focused on hockey and soccer up until I went to college, and I ended up having to choose one, because you cant play both. But in high school I played flag football, softball, basketball, cross country, track and field, soccer, and of course hockey. I just enjoy competing, and I think it was also a cheap excuse to get out of class sometimes!One other sport Im passionate about: I recently fell in love with my road bike. Ive got the need for speed. Oh, and I also play tennis with friends for fun. By no means am I Serena Williams, though in my head sometimes I do think I hit as hard as she does!You were a panelist for womens hockey broadcasts on TSN during the Sochi Olympics. What was it like covering a team you played for?Those are my best friends – theyre my sisters. I spent years training with them. Weve laughed together, cried together, won together, and learned together. So to step in and cover it was an emotional experience, having just been released from the team. It was also a great learning experience for me. I wanted to give not only the Canadian women but the sport of womens hockey the best possible coverage, because I think they deserve it. I put a lot of pressure on myself to come up with unique points to break down the game differently, not only to show how skilled these athletes are, but to teach the viewer about our sport, because its a little different from the mens game. Due to the no body contact rules, its a speed and finesse game. It made me proud to be able to talk about my friends, not only from Canada, but the USA, Finland, Sweden, Swiitzerland, and more.dddddddddddd To share their stories with the rest of Canada, and to let viewers know how much attention they deserve.Youre also part of the Champions network with the Special Olympics, how did you get involved with it?It was actually through Jamie Salé. I got to know her through Battle of the Blades, and she was so helpful and patient – I dont know if Id have been able to half the things on that show if it werent for her. She reached out to me and asked if Id be interested in helping out. Im an honourary chair with Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer, and this was another chance to give back and stay involved with the athletic community, so it was an easy decision. Weve got a really good team in place, and there are many events to come.Who were your sports heroes growing up?As a kid, you always look up to your parents. My mom played baseball. She was a rover, and she had a hot glove. And my dad played hockey at the collegiate level and junior level in Sudbury. My dad coached a college team, the Cambrian College Golden Shields, and I lived at the rink, watching them play. So my dads hockey players were my first true hockey idols. They were a big, tough team, and it helped shape my game. I wasnt the biggest, but I played mean.When womens hockey emerged with the Womens World Championship in 1990, there was one player who I played a lot like, and that was Geraldine Heaney. She came to Sudbury one year to my dads hockey school, so I actually got to play with my idol at the age of 12. She snapped a picture with me wearing her silver medal from Nagano, and I knew immediately that the Olympics was something I was prepared to do anything for. Whats your favourite sports team?I went to college at Ohio State University, so Im a Buckeye. I bleed scarlet and grey through and through. Aaron Ward tries to make fun of me about it, but his Michigan Wolverines have a hard time standing up to the Buckeyes. Ohio State-Michigan football games are the best: I remember one game at the end of the year we beat them 52-49, and I rushed the field with everyone and ripped out part of the 50-yard line. We planted it in our front yard at the house I lived in.Youre currently hosting TSNs French Open Primetime broadcasts, who are some players youre looking forward to covering at the tournament?Well, I think Roger Federer owns the title of most talented, but Novak Djokovic is the most entertaining tennis player out there. I always like watching him because he brings lightheartedness to the game. He pushes the envelope of traditional tennis etiquette. And of course the young Canadian players: Eugenie Bouchard is so young and so talented, and Milos Raonic is just waiting for his breakthrough moment. This is the first tennis tournament Ive covered, and if he does well, obviously I must have had something to do with it, right? Maybe that will be my claim to fame.Tessa Bonhomme hosts French Open Primetime, airing every evening of the tournament on TSN. Visit TSN.ca for full schedule info. 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