The amusing thing is that Mitchel's argument proves much more than he wants it to prove.

Because experiments can be undermined by a vast number of practical mistakes, the likeliest explanation for any failed replication will always be that the replicator bungled something along the way. Unless direct replications are conducted by flawless experimenters, nothing interesting can be learned from them.

Notice that the above argument applies just as well to the original experiment being replicated.