As major league baseball's July 31 trade deadline came and went on Tuesday, some contending teams made trades they hoped would bolster their squads for the final two-month stretch run.But the Houston Astros made two deals that must have left their fans wondering, "What were they thinking?"The Astros, who stand 5 games behind the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs and 2 behind the Arizona Diamondbacks in the wild card with 55 games remaining, traded a pair of young, up-and-coming right-handers for a pair veteran righties.The Astros picked up 31-year-old Pedro Astacio from the Colorado Rockies for Scott Elarton, 25, and got closer Mike Williams from the Pittsburgh Pirates for 1995 first-round draft pick and prospect Tony McKnight, 24.The Astros (58-49), winners of three straight NL Central Division titles from 1997-99, are hoping both Astacio and Williams will be the answers they need to overtake the Cubs (62-43).But it's clear from comments made Tuesday to reporters by general manager Gerry Hunsicker and manager Larry Dierker that neither of these players is what Houston needed, or that they're even essential."Astacio is a guy that obviously is not having a great year," said Hunsicker of Astacio, who is 6-13 with a 5.49 earned-run average and 1-8 in his last 10 starts. by Robert Hollier