I think some of you are tying yourselves up in knots to trying to support conclusions already reached.
Baseball has come to the realization over the last few decades that the idea of having the field manager set company policy as far as what type of team they'd be and strategies they'd favor, was both outdated and inconsistent with what are now multi-billion dollar corporations anymore than any other corporation would turn towards middle management to set their agenda.
So is Stearns involved in every aspect of of the club's operation? Of course he is! It's all kind of implied in the POBO label whether it's called that specifically or by some other title. So things like, Senga to the pen, or limits on pitchers coming back form injuries or in consecutive day usage, are all going to come from the top although hopefully with input from all those connected to those decisions.
I don't believe this means he's calling pitches, making PH decisions, or directing specifically when a pitching change is made. Nor do I think this makes him different from his counterparts on other teams.