Service time played a role in Bryant, Eloy and Robert....that's true. However, one side of town handed out two guaranteed contracts to players that had never had a swing in a MLB game, and the other kept Bryant in the minors for 12 extra days after hitting over .400 in Spring Training that year in favor of Mike Olt....and the day after Bryant past that service time threshold, he was called up.
Offering Eloy 43 million dollars guaranteed over six years has a slightly different optics than keeping the 2nd overall pick down in the minors 12 extra days for one reason and one reason alone. Not saying the Sox wouldn't have done that with Eloy or Robert...but they didn't let it get to that point.