BOSTON -- Not even a Red Sox player is exempt from the desire to get patients in and out of hospitals as quickly as possible these days.

Brandon Moss is the case in point. He was taken to the hospital Saturday night for an appendectomy. He complained of feeling ill about an hour before the game began, was examined and taken to the hospital. Sox officials reported about 11:15 that he was out of surgery and doing well.

By midday yesterday, he was out of the hospital.

“He’ll be out of the hospital in about an hour, which is unbelievable to me,” manager Terry Francona reported at about 10:30 a.m. “He’s doing OK.

“I think there’s a chance that in four or five days he might be jogging,” Francona continued. “I don’t want to exaggerate, but I think, because of the way procedures are done today they can get going in a hurry.”

Moss, who is from Georgia, will probably be sent home to rest and, when he is ready to go, head to Florida to do some rehab work before being activated.