Cubs president Theo Epstein said following the trade of right-hander Carlos Zambrano that his first inclination after talking to players and team personnel was to trade the disgruntled pitcher. "I talked to enough [players] in order to get an understanding of the history here," Epstein said. "This isn't a decision that players will make. But I think if you don't listen to what happens in the clubhouse then you can't develop a proper understanding of it." The transaction requires the Cubs to pay $15 million of the $18 million owed Zambrano in 2012, according to a source. "I'll just say that the people who have been around the situation over the years heard before there would be change," Epstein said. "They heard before there would be a new attitude, and they have been burned. Physical altercations, deserting the team, that type of thing. The best way to put it is there was a breakdown of trust. It would have been very difficult to re-establish that trust."