"The steroids era" refers to a period of time in Major League Baseball when a number of players were believed to have used performance-enhancing drugs, resulting in increased offensive output throughout the game. Unlike other MLB "eras," there is no defined start or end time to "the steroids era," though it is generally considered to have run from the late '80s through the late 2000s. The home run heroics of the 1998 and 2001 seasons were called into question as McGwire, Sosa and Bonds were among a group of major leaguers linked to the use of PEDs in the following years.The 500 home run club remains one of baseball's most prestigious groups, though the increased offensive totals of the 1990s and 2000s have taken some luster off membership. In 1996, Eddie Murray became the 15th member of the 500 home run club, and the first since Mike Schmidt in 1987. But it wouldn't be long until Murray had company. Between 1998 and 2009, 10 more players reached 500 career home runs, easily the largest increase in membership in baseball history. Of the 10 players, six -- Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Mark McGwire, Manny Ramirez, Rafael Palmeiro and Gary Sheffield -- have been linked to PEDs (The Steroid Era). This example is great because it shows not only the way they were using steroids but how it also changed the game from prior years. It shows how players like Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds have used steroids and made the home run club not as prestigious as it once was and made it easier to accomplish this