That was a balk?

Yes, I did see it, as a matter of fact. I was equally perplexed as I thought it was OK to fake to first then turn to third. Thanks for the rules, by the way. That probably explains what happend.

What I thought at the time, after seeing the replay, was that maybe he had gone too far farward. Shimoyanagi was pretty far farward on the mound when he made that turn, suggesting that he didn't go directly toward first.

Furthermore, the turn to third looked almost like an afterthought. I.e., after not stepping off the rubber (pitcher's plate) and faking to first, there was too long a pause before turning to fake to third, as though he thought that that would make it all right.

Finally, I thought that an exception to 8.05(b) was that the pitcher may fake to first without stepping off the rubber, but he must throw to third. I don't have the rule book myself, so I can't say if that is a real exception or not, just my impression.

But after seeing the replay, I figured that there was something wrong and that the umpires were most likely right. I couldn't say why, but I wasn't overwhelmed with disbelief like Shimoyanagi was.

He was rather perplexed, wasn't he? After the game, a furious Hoshino said of the hapless Shimoyanagi, "I've never seen anything like that in my life. Don't they have [balk] rules in the Pa League?!" (NB: Shimoyanagi was acquired by Hanshin this off season from the Pacific League).

Hoshino knew exactly what was going on; when the TV showed him looking livid at the time, I thought he was angry at the umpire (wouldn't be the first time for ol' Ribracker Hoshino ), but in fact he was annoyed at his pitcher letting in an earned run. His mood was not improved when catcher Yano let the ball slip past him and the runner on third strolled home, giving Yakult the lead and ultimately the win.

Generally, a pitcher can fake a throw to any base but first and home plate. A fake to first is okay as long as your foot is off the rubber. In fact, the Mariners' Sasaki often does a quick foot-off-the-rubber pump-fake to first move, and I think it makes the announcers nervous. And, of course, there's the usual "fake-to-third-fake-to-first" move. I haven't seen Shimoyanagi's balk, but if his foot was off the rubber when he faked to first, he probably didn't balk.