10 Pitchers Who Would’ve Dominated with Modern Pitch Clocks

The pitch clock has completely changed the flow of Major League Baseball—less downtime, faster rhythm, and less overthinking on the mound. Some modern pitchers love it, while others are still figuring out how to adjust.

But if you rewind the clock a few decades, there were some old-school arms who would’ve absolutely thrived in this no-nonsense, get-the-ball-and-throw era. These 10 guys had the tempo, the mentality, and the attitude to dominate in a world where stalling is no longer an option.

10. Mark Buehrle

Buehrle worked faster than most guys walk to the mound. With a pitch clock, he’d have been right at home—maybe even annoyed it was slowing him down.

9. Greg Maddux

Maddux didn’t need much time to think—he already knew what you were going to swing at. Give him a pitch clock and he’d probably cut the average game to two hours flat.

8. Roy Halladay

Halladay was a machine who locked in and attacked hitters like he had somewhere to be. He already pitched with pace, so a timer would’ve made him even scarier.

7. Tim Hudson

Hudson pitched with tempo and confidence, never one to waste time nibbling around the plate. The modern pace would’ve just boosted his efficiency even more.

6. Tom Glavine

Glavine’s game was about rhythm, command, and staying ahead of hitters mentally. The pitch clock would’ve played right into his cerebral, methodical style.

5. Dennis Eckersley

Eck didn’t waste time—or words. His bulldog mentality and quick delivery would’ve thrived under today’s speed-it-up rules.

4. David Cone

Old Timer's Day -- David Cone — Openverse

Cone mixed pitches like a chef in a rush. The faster tempo would’ve helped him keep hitters off balance even more than he already did.

3. Bob Gibson

Gibson didn’t need rules to pitch angry—but with a pitch clock, he’d keep hitters even more uncomfortable. Less thinking time for the batter meant more dominance for him.

2. Jack Morris

Morris was all business on the mound—get the ball, throw the ball, repeat. He would’ve loved the pitch clock era, especially when the games actually moved at his pace.

1. Sandy Koufax

Koufax had the stuff and the swagger, and he worked with a natural rhythm that would be perfect today. With a pitch clock, he might have shaved minutes off games and added strikeouts to the stat sheet.