Craig Counsell confident Ryan Braun will be ready for Opening Day

Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell remains confident that outfielder Ryan Braun will be ready for Opening Day.

Braun has been missing games lately as he recovers from an October back surgery. He got a late start in playing spring training games, and on Saturday he missed his third straight game. Braun says he is unfamiliar with the process of recovering from back surgery, but he does not seem too concerned about missing some action. He believes the workload during spring training is so great, he might overwork himself.

“Like I’ve said from the beginning, my goal is just to build toward the first day of the season. It’s less important to play games now than it is to get close to 100 percent for the start of the season,” Braun said via the Brewers’ official site.

Counsell remains confident that Braun will be ready.

“I’m confident that he’ll be in the lineup Opening Day,” Counsell said. “I really am.”

Braun signed a five-year extension with the club in 2011, back when he was producing at MVP levels. He has been involved in a drug scandal, dealt with a suspension and injuries since then. He did bat .285 with 25 home runs in 140 games last season, which is a good amount of production for the $19 million he’s set to make this season.