GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The cameras were lined up and clicking away as the Dodgers' $147 million pitcher threw for the first time in his new uniform Thursday.

But the cameras weren't pointed at free-agent acquisition Zack Greinke as he threw his first bullpen session during the Dodgers' workout. Approximately 20 photographers and video cameramen from Korea were shooting the large left-hander working on the mound next to Greinke as Hyun-jin Ryu threw his first bullpen session of the spring at the same time.

For the Dodgers' coaching staff, it was their first chance to see Ryu throw in person after only seeing video from his career in the Korean Baseball Organization.

"It was good," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said of the 40-pitch session. "He threw the ball where he wanted. That's kind of what I like to watch -- whether they're hitting the catcher's glove, putting the ball where they want. That's a pretty good indication, especially early on.

"Everything was good today."

Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt praised Ryu's "smooth delivery" and called his offspeed pitch "a plus-plus changeup." Like Mattingly, Honeycutt had watched video of Ryu and he was impressed.

"Our scouts liked him -- and I liked what I saw on video," Honeycutt said. "I'd have signed him myself just based off what I saw on video. This guy has command of four pitches, knows how to pitch at a young age."

Honeycutt had to admit he was less impressed with what he'd seen from Ryu during the conditioning drills pitchers do each morning. Ryu lagged well behind and struggled through the conditioning runs each of the first two days.

"Truthfully, probably not," Honeycutt said when asked if Ryu's conditioning was where it needed to be. "Thankfully, we have six weeks (of spring training).

"He's a big guy. He's got to pace himself like Kenley (Jansen, who also lagged behind) or any of our bigger guys. Jumping in with (Clayton) Kershaw was probably the wrong group for him to be in."

Ryu -- listed at 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds but likely heavier -- answered good-naturedly when questioned about his struggles during the conditioning runs, pointing out through an interpreter that "there are two different shapes to be in -- in shape to be fit and in shape to throw a baseball." He also admitted that his teammates had surprised him with a faster pace than he expected, comments that made headlines in Korea after Wednesday's workout.

"I don't think the other players listen to what the trainers are saying," Ryu said jokingly. "The trainers tell us to run it (each lap) in 35 seconds. Why are they running it in 26? I ran it in 35 seconds."

Ryu said he was "satisfied" with his first throwing session.

"No, I'm not nervous," he said when asked about trying to make a good first impression with his new teammates. "I'm just doing what I've done before."

ARREST ISSUE

Infielder Justin Sellers arrived in camp and said his January arrest for reckless driving and evading police was "a big misunderstanding." Sellers has a court date in March but said he hopes the charges will be dropped by then or the issue resolved. He does not expect to leave camp in order to attend if it does goes to court next month.

Sellers was arrested in West Sacramento after police said they received reports of a motorcyclist doing "wheelies" in a residential neighborhood. There had been numerous reports the course of a month, police said. When police arrived and tried to pull him over, they said Sellers attempted to flee.

Sellers' version is much different. He said he was driving home from an off-road trail when police came up behind him and flashed their lights. Two days earlier, he had gone on a ride-along with police that had been arranged by a friend. He kept driving to his house then called that friend to see if the encounter was just a prank. Told it wasn't, Sellers went outside where he was arrested and taken into custody.

The former Cal State Fullerton infielder said he spent five hours in custody.

"At the time I was pulled over, I wasn't doing anything wrong," Sellers said. "They did me wrong. ... I went from having a great time, being in the front seat of a cop car with them (on the ride-along) to being in the back of a cop car for something I shouldn't have been in the back of a cop car for."

Sellers faces an uphill battle to win a spot on the Dodgers' bench this spring.

(c)2013 The Orange County Register (Santa Ana, Calif.)

Visit The Orange County Register (Santa Ana, Calif.) at www.ocregister.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services