Scioscia: Thome belongs in Hall

CHICAGO -- Jim Thome’s Hall of Fame chances could hinge on how many home runs the White Sox slugger tacks on to No. 500, which Thome hit in the ninth inning Sunday to give Chicago a 9-7 walk-off victory over the Angels.

In Angels Manager Mike Scioscia’s mind, Thome, who played his first 12 major league seasons in Cleveland before signing a free-agent deal with Philadelphia in 2003 and moving to Chicago in 2006, belongs in Cooperstown, no matter how many more home runs the 17-year veteran hits.

“That’s a magic number right there, 500 home runs,” Scioscia said. “You have to be a great offensive player to get to that level. He’s been on winning clubs, he has a high on-base percentage (.408 career) . . . he has to be in that hall.”

White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen concurs.

“When he was in Cleveland, to see people there boo him, I felt bad, because this guy is going to be in the Hall of Fame, and he’s going to be wearing a Cleveland hat,” Guillen said. “Jim Thome and his group put baseball in Cleveland back on the map. You can boo me, but you don’t boo Jim Thome. He’s a Hall of Famer, for sure.”

If there were a Hall of Fame for character, Guillen would induct Thome as a charter member.

“One thing about Thome is he’s easy to manage -- ask any manager he’s played for, and he’ll say the same stuff,” Guillen said. “I like him because he grew up the right way, he plays the game right, he plays the game hard.

“He respects baseball and respects the fans. I tell kids if you want to look up to somebody, he’s the guy you look up to. On the field, off the field, I don’t think any human being can say anything bad about him, except maybe his wife.”

Justin Speier, out since Wednesday because of a slight strain of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee, threw a 20-pitch bullpen session before Sunday’s game, after which he declared, “I’m good to go today.”

After Chris Bootcheck was rocked for four runs in the seventh inning, Speier came on and struck out Thome, gave up a double to Paul Konerko and got Jermaine Dye to fly out, ending the inning.

Speier’s return was the only bullpen bright spot, though. In addition to Bootcheck’s meltdown, Scot Shields gave up a game-tying, two-run homer in the eighth, and Dustin Moseley gave up Thome’s game-winner in the ninth.

“We still have a lot of confidence in these guys,” Scioscia said when asked if he was concerned about the state of his bullpen. “There are going to be times when some things slip through the cracks, but these guys are good.

“A couple of guys are out of sync, but as a group, we’re confident they’re going to get the job done.”

With his team’s 16-18 record against left-handed starters in mind, Scioscia started a lineup Sunday that featured nine right-handed or switch-hitters, leaving Garret Anderson and Casey Kotchman on the bench.

The strategy worked -- the Angels rocked White Sox left-hander Mark Buehrle for seven runs (six earned) and 11 hits in 6 1/3 innings -- but their failure to hold a six-run lead means they are now 16-19 in games started by opposing left-handers.

Vladimir Guerrero’s solo homer in the first inning gave him 25 home runs for the 10th consecutive season. Only one other player, the Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez, has at least 25 homers in the last 10 seasons. Guerrero also set a franchise record in the seventh with his 27th intentional walk, breaking the record of 26 he set in 2005. . . . Bartolo Colon and Ervin Santana are scheduled to throw bullpen sessions today, after which Scioscia will decide which of the right-handers will start Wednesday against Tampa Bay.

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mike.digiovanna@latimes.com