It’s expected the Blue Jays uniforms will have a new look for the 2012 season, one that will reflect a Canadian theme more than ever.

The team is playing coy as even a mention of a uniform change is hush-hush within the organization. But the change has been in the design phase for months and should be ready for unveiling by the beginning of next season.

Jays players, who wore red caps during the Canada Day weekend series in Toronto, could have a more pronounced maple leaf and red and white colours on the uniform to capture characteristics of the Canadian flag. The Jays have been wearing a bright red maple leaf on the right sleeve of their uniforms since the 2009 season.

With Canadian Brett Lawrie making his home debut Tuesday at the Rogers Centre, the Jays are also anxious to boost emphasis on their national marketing plan in Canada.

That plan blossomed during the World Series years in 1992-93, and saw the Jays play exhibition games in Western Canada. The club this year opened a minor league team in Vancouver and visits seven Canadian cities with a baseball training program featuring former greats like Robbie Alomar and Duane Ward.

Now, Lawrie may help spearhead the latest initiative to boost sales with a new design.

“Part of it is . . . we’ve put a team in Vancouver and we’re also trying to get as much TV exposure in Canada as we can,” Jays president Paul Beeston said. “But still, we have to perform on the field, that’s our best marketing tool.”

Design a new uniform

More red? A darker blue? Get rid of the black? Retro, futuristic or classic grey and white? Pinstripes or solids? Buttons all the way down or V-neck? A return to the classic logo or a new one altogether? You can decide this and every other detail because we want you to take a crack at drawing a new Blue Jay uniform. Use the blank canvas on Jose Bautista (shown) or email us jpegs of your own illustrations of a new cap and uniform for the team. Send your finished work to fanpix@thestar.ca or see the star.com/sports to enter online.

Download a pdf here and create your own design, then send us your creation at fanpix@thestar.ca and we'll post selections.