The Chicago Cubs will begin defense of their World Series title against the St. Louis Cardinals on April 2 as the nightcap of a Sunday tripleheader, all to be broadcast on ESPNs networks, Major League Baseball announced on Thursday.The season will open with the New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays at 1 p.m. ET (ESPN) followed by the San Francisco Giants at Arizona Diamondbacks at 4 p.m. (ESPN2) before the Cubs play at St. Louis at 80 p.m. on ESPNs Sunday Night Baseball.Of the 12 MLB games scheduled for April 3, the American League champion Cleveland Indians will open in Texas against the Texas Rangers as one of four Monday games on ESPNs networks. The others: Atlanta Braves-New York Mets at 1 p.m., San Diego Padres-Los Angeles Dodgers at 4 p.m. and?Los Angeles Angels-Oakland Athletics at 10 p.m. m.com/Alonzo-Mourning-City-Edition-Jersey/" target="_blank">Alonzo Mourning Jersey . A forerunning sled crashed into the worker Thursday at the Sanki Sliding Center. The unidentified worker broke both legs and was airlifted to a nearby hospital. m.com/Udonis-Haslem-City-Edition-Jersey/" target="_blank">Udonis Haslem Jersey . Patrice Bergeron and Daniel Paille scored 20 seconds apart a few minutes after Stamkos was taken off the ice on a stretcher with a broken right leg, and the Bruins beat the Lightning 3-0 on Monday afternn. m.com/Jeremiah-Martin-City-Edition-Jersey/" target="_blank">https://www.heatlockerrm.com/Jeremiah-Martin-City-Edition-Jersey/ . LOUIS -- Heading into the final stretch of the season, the issues for the Chicago Bears banged-up defence only seem to be getting worse. m.com/Kendrick-Nunn-City-Edition-Jersey/" target="_blank">Kendrick Nunn Heat Jersey . Manuel was offered a position the day he was fired. He accepted earlier this week and the team made the announcement Friday. m.com/Goran-Dragic-City-Edition-Jersey/" target="_blank">Goran Dragic Heat Jersey . Giroud, who wasnt in the starting lineup for two matches after allegations about his private life and a decline in form, scored twice in the first half. Tomas Rosickys chip made it 3-0 before half time at Emirates Stadium, while defender Laurent Koscielny scored an unmarked header in the second half. Calvin Johnson, who retired from the NFL early because his body was starting to break down, said many players are chsing to do whatever it takes to stay on the field.That includes taking painkillers.I guess my first half of my career before they really, you know, before they were like started lking over the whole industry, or the whole NFL, the doctors, the team doctors and trainers they were giving them out like candy, you know? Johnson said in an interview with ESPNs Michael Smith for E:60 that debuts Thursday at 10 p.m. ET.If you were hurting, then you could get em, you know. It was nothing. I mean, if you needed Vicodin, call out, My ankle hurt, you know. I need, I need it. I cant, I cant play without it, or something like that. It was simple. Thats how easy it was to get em, you know. So if you were dependent on em, they were readily available.Johnson, 30, said he knew he couldnt do what it would take to overcome his injuries, of which there were many, to keep playing. The former Detroit Lions star underwent knee, ankle and finger surgeries. He retired in March after nine seasons in the NFL.I know where my bodys at, know how it feels, you know, he said. I know how it felt to one, get it to go every day. And to be out there actually doing it every day, you know -- the pain to do it. So Im just like -- and you cant take Toradol and pain medicine every day, you know. You gotta give that stuff a rest, and that was one thing I wasnt willing to do.Johnson currently stands second on the all-time list in receiving yards per game behind Julio Jones at 86.1. He led the league in receiving twice and went to six Pro Bowls in his nine-year career. Despite an 88-catch, 1,214-yard season last year, he has repeatedly said hes not coming back to the league.He said he wants to be able to function after ftball and finish his degree at Georgia Tech. Many players are dealing with the post-ftball concerns, including the effects of concussions. Johnson was asked if hees had to deal with concussion issues.dddddddddddd He said that even before the movie Concussion came out and elevated the discussion in popular culture, he was concerned about it.Concussions happen, he said. If not on every play, then they happen like every other, every third play, you know. With all the helmet contact, guys hitting the ground, heads hitting ground. Its simply when your brain touches your skull from the movement or the inertia, man. Its simple to get a concussion, you know. I dont know how many Ive had over my career, you know, but Ive definitely had my fair share. Johnson didnt come out and blame the league for knowingly putting players at risk, but he described a culture that demands that players play.The team doctor, the team trainers, they work for the team. And I love em, you know, he said. Theyre some gd people, you know. They want to see you do gd. But at the same time, they work for the team, you know. Theyre trying to do whatever they can to get you back on the field and make your team lk gd. So if its not gonna make the team lk gd, or if youre not gonna be on the field, then theyre tryin to do whatever they can to make that happen.Johnson went onto the field many times when injured, but he finally decided he didnt want to do that anymore. Still, he doesnt regret his career. And he said he will definitely miss it.I mean, whos not gonna miss it, you know? he said. Its ... youre playing the greatest game against some of the best athletes in the world. You know, and its a bone-crushing game, and you gotta love that about it, because it takes everybody to do their job right in order for you just to, just to sniff victory, you know? So, like I say, I love it, I loved it. I left it all out on the field, I feel like. And had a great time, made some great plays that I felt like my fans will remember. ' ' '