Bonds inks new trading card deal

Barry Bonds is back on Topps.

The San Francisco Giants slugger has a new deal for the 2007 baseball season with Topps Co., the New York-based maker of trading cards and candy.

Topps said Thursday the deal grants it exclusive rights for Bonds' autographed baseball cards, game-used memorabilia cards and Bonds' image on packaging and advertising. Topps also plans to issue a commemorative collectible series highlighting every homerun Bonds has hit during his 21 year career.

Terms were not disclosed.

Bonds, with 735 career homeruns, needs 21 more to surpass Hank Aaron on the all-time homerun list.

Since 2004 Bonds has negotiated licensing deals on his own. In that year Bonds pulled out of the Major League Baseball Players Association licensing operation. That means companies like Topps that want to use Bonds' image or name must deal with him directly instead of through the players union.